Teenage smoking can lead to long-term cigarette use. Teens Health, a website sponsored by Nemours, warns that 90 percent of adult smokers started before age 18. Howard Koh, the assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, estimates that 3,600 youngsters pick up their first cigarette every day. Many never realize they are starting a long-term habit. They start smoking for a variety of emotional and physical reasons without thinking about the effects until they are hooked.
Psychological
Smoking becomes a physical addiction, but the habit often starts for psychological reasons. Teens Health explains that many youngsters start smoking because their friends urge them to do so and they want to fit in. Some believe it makes them look older or more attractive. Some start because they see other members of their family smoking and view it as a norm, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Physical
Teens Health explains that some teenagers start smoking to lose weight. They do not realize they may be depriving themselves of nutrients when they light up a cigarette instead of eating. Others begin smoking socially and develop a physical addiction to nicotine. The behavior moves from a choice to a necessity because they experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop.
Types
Most teenagers who start smoking use regular cigarettes. Teens Health warns that some try other options like cigars, hookahs and chewing tobacco. These alternatives are often perceived as "cool" and less dangerous than cigarettes, but they actually have the same health risks and danger of addiction. Flavored cigarettes such as fruity "bidis" from India were blamed for luring youngsters to smoke, but they were banned from being sold in the United States by the 2010 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
Effects
Teens Health explains that cigarettes take a physical toll on the 20 percent of American teenagers who smoke. Their athletic performance diminishes because of the respiratory and cardiovascular effects. Reduced collagen production slows down injury healing. Smoking also cuts off oxygen flow by constricting blood vessels, which makes teens more vulnerable to skin problems. Their social life might be affected by smoking-induced bad breath and the stale odor that clings to their clothing and hair.
Prevention
Teen smoking can be prevented by directly addressing the most common causes. Teenagers with friends who smoke should prepare responses to counteract peer pressure, Teens Health suggests. For example, a youngster can say, "I don't want to do that. I want to stay in good shape for sports," or "I don't smoke because I don't like how it makes me smell." Self-confident kids don't have to offer a justification. They can simply say, "I don't want to." Overweight teens should be directed to a doctor or dietitian so they're aren't tempted by cigarettes as a quick fix.
