In 2007, 20 percent of high school students were smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While teen smoking has declined in the past 10 years, each day 3,900 teens in the U.S. take their first puff of a cigarette. It's no secret that cigarettes are addicting, but they are also harmful to your teen's health. To reduce teen smoking, speak on levels that a teen would understand.
Step 1
Talk to your teen about the toll smoking can take on her looks. Telling her that smoking could cause cancer may not be effective, since your teen may not be able to visualize 30 years into the future but will understand beauty and vanity concerns. Speak about yellow teeth, wrinkles and an unpleasant smell to net a more instant reaction from your teen.
Step 2
Practice saying "no" to friends with your teen. The American Lung Association cites peer pressure as a major cause of teen smoking. Prepare your teen for the event of a friend pressuring him to smoke and quiz him on what he might say. He may be embarrassed to practice, but it could help him to prepare so he's ready when a friend offers him a cigarette, especially when trying to quit.
Step 3
Discuss the media portrayal of smoking and tobacco use with your teen while watching television. If one of her favorite movie stars or television shows portrays smoking in a trendy or glamorous light, she may have a corrupt view of the risks of smoking. Talk about actors and the inaccuracies of television. It opens the conversation for media portrayal of other activities as well.
Step 4
Stop all allowance if your teen continues to spend his money on cigarettes. If you still give a weekly or monthly amount of money, take it away so your money isn't going toward purchasing cigarettes for your teen. In most states the age for purchasing cigarettes is 18, but it is legal to smoke at 16, notes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If your teen is obtaining cigarettes before the age of 18, a friend is likely purchasing them for him. Remove the financial backing so your teen learns that you are serious about ending his cigarette use.
Step 5
Show a good example and reduce smoking yourself. If you smoke, you have little moral authority over whether or not your teen smokes as well. Quit smoking to show your commitment to your teen's health and urge that she quits with you. Together, you can support each other on your path to better health and a smoke-free home.
