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Teen smoking: 10 ways to help teens stay smoke-free
No. 6: Expect peer pressure
Friends who smoke can be convincing, but you can give your teen the tools he or she needs to refuse cigarettes. Rehearse how to handle tough social situations. It might be as simple as saying, "No thanks, I don't smoke." The more your teen practices this basic refusal, the more likely he or she will say no at the moment of truth.
No. 7: Take addiction seriously
Most teens believe they can stop smoking anytime they want. Teens, however, become just as addicted to tobacco as do adults — often quickly and at relatively low doses of nicotine. Once you're hooked, it's tough to quit.
No. 8: Predict the future
Teens tend to assume that bad things only happen to other people. Explain the potential long-term consequences of smoking — such as cancer, heart attack and stroke. Use loved ones, friends, neighbors or celebrities who've been ill as real-life examples.
No. 9: Think beyond cigarettes
Smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes (kreteks) and candy-flavored cigarettes (bidis) are sometimes mistaken as less harmful or addictive than are traditional cigarettes. Hookah smoking — smoking tobacco through a water pipe — is another alternative sometimes touted as safe. Don't let your teen be fooled. Like traditional cigarettes, these products are addictive and can cause cancer and other health problems. Many deliver higher concentrations of nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar than do traditional cigarettes.
No. 10: Get involved
Take an active stance against teen smoking. Participate in local and school-sponsored anti-smoking campaigns. Support efforts to make public places smoke-free and increase taxes on tobacco products, which can help reduce the odds that your teen will become a smoker.
If your teen has already started smoking, avoid threats and ultimatums. Instead, find out why your teen is smoking — and discuss ways to help your teen quit. Avoiding or stopping smoking is one of the best things your teen can do for a lifetime of good health.
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- Doubeni CA, et al. Perceived accessibility of cigarettes among youth: A prospective cohort study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2009;36:239.
- How parents can protect their kids from becoming addicted smokers. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0152.pdf. Accessed March 1, 2011.
- Hurt RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Accessed March 23, 2011.
- Facts for families: Tobacco and kids. http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?section=Facts for Families&name=Tobacco And Kids. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Accessed May 16, 2011.
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