In spite of the media attention on the health risks of smoking, teenagers still smoke. According to Bloomberg's Businessweek, 20 percent of teenagers smoke. Even though smoking is not allowed at school and many buildings and malls are smoke-free zones, teens find places to smoke. It is an expensive and difficult habit to break. If you or someone you know smokes, learn the risks you are facing.
Addiction
Cigarettes contain nicotine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens, "nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine." The longer you smoke, the more your body craves nicotine and the more you feel the need to smoke. You can easily become addicted to smoking even if that was not your intention when you began. When you begin smoking as a teenager, quitting is even more difficult than it is for people who begin smoking as adults due to the length of time you have smoked.
Skin and Mouth Problems
Teens who smoke risk alienating friends and family with bad breath and skin odor. When you walk into a small room after smoking a cigarette, other people in the room may smell the odor. The Center for Young Women's Health states that of the 4,000 chemicals in a cigarette, many are poisonous. The chemicals in cigarettes can give you body odor, cling to your clothes and make your breath smell bad. If you smoke, you are more likely to get cavities.
Lung Damage
As a teenager, you may enjoy playing outdoor sports with your friends and family. When you smoke, you risk damaging your lungs and reducing your ability to do the things you enjoy. Smoking increases the chances you will develop a chronic cough, excess phlegm and catch more respiratory diseases, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Teens and children who smoke also risk slower lung growth and a decrease in lung function. Stop smoking to improve your athletic performance and reduce your risk of damaging your lungs.
Risky Behavior
Although you may not consider yourself at risk of becoming involved with illicit drugs or alcohol, the American Cancer Society says otherwise. Teens who smoke are more likely to use illegal drugs, drink alcohol and "engage in high-risk sexual behaviors." Participating in these types of activities may make it difficult for you to concentrate on school and could affect your future education and employment choices.
Premature Death
Of the many risks associated with teenage smoking, premature death is the most disturbing. Lighting and smoking cigarettes year after year increases your risk of chronic diseases such as "heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases," according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. In fact, when you begin smoking as a teenager, you have about a 50 percent chance of dying from a smoking-related illness.
