The health risks of tobacco are well known, yet the rates of
smoking and using chewing tobacco continue to grow. Many young
people pick up these habits every year - in fact,
90% of all adult smokers started when they were kids. Each day,
more than 4,400 kids become regular smokers.
So it's important to make sure kids understand the dangers
of tobacco use. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths
in the United States, and can cause cancer, heart disease, and lung
disease. Chewing tobacco (smokeless or spit tobacco) can lead to
nicotine addiction, oral cancer, gum disease, and an increased risk
of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.
Giving kids information about the risks of smoking and chewing
tobacco, and establishing clear rules and your reasons for them,
can help protect them from these unhealthy habits.
You also should know the warning signs of tobacco use
and constructive ways to help someone kick the habit.
The Facts About Tobacco
One of the major problems with smoking and chewing tobacco has
to do with the chemical nicotine. Someone can get addicted to
nicotine within days of first using it. In fact, the nicotine in
tobacco can be as addictive as cocaine or heroine. Nicotine affects
mood as well as the heart, lungs, stomach, and nervous system.
Other health risks include short-term effects of smoking such
as coughing and throat irritation. Over time, more serious
conditions may develop, including increases in heart rate and blood
pressure, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Finally, numerous studies indicate that young smokers are more
likely to experiment with marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or other
illicit drugs.
Preventing Kids From Picking Up the Habit
Kids might be drawn to smoking and chewing tobacco for any
number of reasons - to look cool, act older, lose weight, win cool
merchandise, seem tough, or feel independent. But parents can
combat those draws and keep kids from trying - and getting addicted
to - tobacco.
Establish a good foundation of communication with your kids
early on to make it easier to work through tricky issues like
tobacco use. Some guidelines to keep in mind:
- Discuss sensitive topics in a way that doesn't make kids
fear punishment or judgment.
- Emphasize what kids do right rather than wrong.
Self-confidence is a child's best protection against peer
pressure.
- Encourage kids to get involved in activities that prohibit
smoking, such as sports.
- Show that you value your kids' opinions and
ideas.
- It's important to keep talking to kids about the dangers
of tobacco use over the years. Even the youngest child can
understand that smoking is bad for the body.
- Ask what kids find appealing - or unappealing - about
smoking. Be a patient listener.
- Read, watch TV, and go to the movies with your kids. Compare
media images with what happens in reality.
- Discuss ways to respond to peer pressure to smoke. Your child
may feel confident simply saying "no." But also offer
alternative responses such as "It will make my clothes and
breath smell bad" or "I hate the way it makes me
look."
- Encourage kids to walk away from friends who don't
respect their reasons for not smoking.
- Explain how much smoking governs the daily life of kids who
start doing it. How do they afford the cigarettes? How do they
have money to pay for other things they want? How does it affect
their friendships?
- Establish firm rules that exclude smoking and chewing tobacco
from your house and explain why: Smokers smell bad, look bad, and
feel bad, and it's bad for everyone's health.
If Your Child Smokes
If you smell smoke on your child's clothing, try not to
overreact. Ask about it first - maybe he or she has been
hanging around with friends who smoke or just tried one cigarette.
Many kids do try a cigarette at one time or another but don't
go on to become regular smokers.
Additional signs of tobacco use include:
- coughing
- throat irritation
- hoarseness
- bad breath
- decreased athletic performance
- greater susceptibility to colds
- stained teeth and clothing (also signs of chewing tobacco
use)
- shortness of breath
Sometimes even the best foundation isn't enough to stop kids
from experimenting with tobacco. It may be tempting to get angry,
but it's more productive to focus on communicating with
your child.
Here are some tips that may help:
- Resist lecturing or turning your advice into a sermon.
- Uncover what appeals to your child about smoking and talk
about it honestly.
- Many times, kids aren't able to appreciate how their
current behaviors can affect their future health. So talk about
the immediate downsides to smoking: less money to spend on other
pursuits, shortness of breath, bad breath, yellow teeth, and
smelly clothes.
- Stick to the smoking rules you've set up. And don't
let a child smoke at home to keep the peace.
- If you hear, "I can quit any time I want," ask your
child to show you by quitting cold turkey for a week.
- Try not to nag. Ultimately, quitting is your child's
decision.
- Help your child develop a quitting plan and offer information
and resources, and reinforce the decision to quit with
praise.
- Stress the natural rewards that come with quitting: freedom
from addiction, improved fitness, better athletic performance,
and improved appearance.
- Encourage a meeting with your doctor, who can be supportive
and may have treatment plans.
If You Smoke
Kids are quick to observe any contradiction between what their
parents say and what they do. Despite what you might think, most
kids say that the adult whom they most want to be like when they
grow up is a parent.
If you're a smoker:
- First, admit that you made a mistake by starting to smoke
and that if you had it to do over again, you'd never
start.
- Second, quit. It's not simple and it may take a
few attempts and the extra help of a program or support
group. But your kids will be encouraged as they see you
overcome your addiction to tobacco.
Reviewed by:
Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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