One out of every five high school students currently smokes, according to Teens Health, a Nemours hospital website. This means that 20 percent of teenagers are vulnerable to the issues associated with cigarette use. Smoking takes an immediate physical toll upon the user and affects other areas of the smoker's life, including appearance and finances. It also has long-term effects, including a greater risk of death.
Time Frame
Most people start smoking during their teen years. Teens Health explains that nine out of ten adult smokers started using cigarettes before age 18. Youngsters who make it to adulthood without getting addicted to nicotine are far less likely to eventually start smoking. This time frame shows that teen smoking prevention can cut down significantly on adult smoking rates.
Physical Effects
Smoking affects the lung tissue and causes some issues that teen smokers will notice quickly, including a sore throat, coughing and lowered endurance. Teens Health explains that smoking restricts blood vessels, which keeps oxygen from getting to the skin. This makes the skin look dull and pale, and can lead to a rash called psoriasis. Teens who smoke have weaker immune systems and take longer to recover from injuries. They also have a greater risk for respiratory problems like colds, flu and pneumonia.
Smoking also causes ongoing damage that can lead to heart disease, emphysema and strokes later in life, Teens Health advises, and it raises the chance of developing throat, lung, bladder and stomach cancer. It is behind 20 percent of deaths in the United States.
Other Effects
Nicotine, the key ingredient in cigarettes, is physically addictive, according to the American Heart Association. A smoker's body gets used to having this drug in its system. This causes issues if and when a smoker tries to stop smoking. Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, restlessness, depression, trouble concentrating, a slower heart rate and a bigger appetite. These effects, coupled with the weight gain that often accompanies quitting, keep many teens from stopping once they become smokers.
Considerations
Smoking has other effects on teens besides the physical and emotional tolls. Cigarettes are expensive, so many youngsters channel most of their allowance money or job earnings into their smoking habit. This prevents them from buying other things and putting money away for a car, college or other long-term goals. The Mayo Clinic recommends sitting down with teens and calculating the weekly, monthly and yearly cost of smoking with them to show just how high it really is over time.
Prevention
The Mayo Clinic cites several ways to prevent teens from smoking. Parents should set the right example by quitting if they are smokers, since teens from smoking households are more likely to start themselves. They should discuss the negative aspects of smoking that are important to teens, such as poor sports performance, yellow stains on the fingers and teeth, and smelly hair and clothing. These effects hit home with youngsters who participate in athletics or who are very aware of their appearance and how others perceive them as they start to date.
