There are many ways teens can be tempted to smoke. Friends may talk them into smoking and convince them smoking is cool. Smoking at such a young age can set a teen up for tobacco-related health problems that often escalate later in life and cause premature death. Smoking has been known to negatively affect the lives of teens in a number of ways.
Facts
Smoking elevates your blood pressure and your heart rate. Smokers develop a cough accompanied by phlegm, or mucous. The smell of smoke stays on the skin of smokers, and smoking gives the skin a yellow appearance and wrinkles. When a teen starts smoking, damage to the body occurs right away. The respiratory system is affected by smoking, and smoking causes cancer of the oral cavity. Diseases of the lungs and heart can also develop in teen smokers. Smoking puts teens at risk for sexual misbehavior and alcohol and drug use.
Significance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4,000 maturing boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17 become first-time users of cigarettes, and every year about one out of five deaths result from smoking. Information on teen smoking may help protect teens from the health risks associated with smoking so they can lead normal, healthy and productive lives when that information is taken in and utilized.
Types
Teen smokers commonly use plain cigarettes, but cigarettes that have a fruity taste have become available. Flavored cigarettes are also available in mint flavor, and some people feel the pleasant taste of these cigarettes makes smoking more appealing to teens. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, these types of cigarettes are just as bad for a teen's health as regular cigarettes. Another type of flavored smoking is that which is done in a pipe called a hookah. There are also cigarettes that work through the use of batteries. These cigarettes are called electronic cigarettes.
Warning
Smoking can interfere with a teen's performance at school. The nicotine in cigarettes can cause anxiety, nervousness and depression, making it hard for a teen to focus on schoolwork. Lungs can become damaged from smoking, which can interfere with a teen's performance in sports since breathing can be affected. If a teen plays an instrument or is interested in developing a singing career, smoking can have a negative effect on performance, as smoking can damage the vocal chords.
Prevention/Solution
Realizing that smoking has more negatives than positives, such as how expensive cigarettes are and all the adverse health effects caused by smoking, will help teens avoid the temptation of smoking, and help them stop smoking if they already smoke. For teens who already smoke, carrying sugarless gum to chew and snacking on pieces of fresh vegetables or fruit instead of lighting up a cigarette will help deter them from smoking. Teens should talk to an adult family member or friend who can help them decide smoking is not what they want to do. Nurses, doctors or guidance counselors can direct teens to a support group that can help them quit smoking. A doctor may recommend the patch or nicotine gum.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Youth!
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Cigarette and Marijuana Smoke Hurts Young Lungs
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Youth and Tobacco Use
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: You(th) & Tobacco
- Girlshealth.gov: Straight talk about tobacco
