Teen Smoking Facts
There are more anti smoking measures being taken today than ever before
, yet some teenagers disregard what they are told and begin to smoke anyway. This could be due to the fact that, despite all of our good efforts, these children are still not being fully educated about the very real dangers of smoking. Teenagers are at risk for very serious health problems once they begin smoking. Smoking can also lead to other bad habits suck as drinking and drug use. Parents are the biggest influence and do have the power to introduce their children to the dangers of smoking. There are other environmental factors though, that still make it easy and acceptable for teenagers to smoke. With combined efforts from adults, teenagers could be able to get the necessary education and make the decision to not smoke.
Even with all of the anti-smoking programs budgeted into our schools each year, approximately 3000 adolescents a day pick up the habit of smoking. Teens today are constantly being told that smoking is no good, yet it is estimated that about 4.5 million adolescents in the United States are smokers.
Smoking is becoming more taboo in our society than ever before with the elimination of cigarette ads, cigarettes on television, and smoking in public areas. Yet, some teens still can't help but wonder what the big fuss about smoking is. Odds are, most of these teenagers were probably bombarded with statements such as, "Smoking will turn your teeth yellow", or "Smoking will make your breath smell", but were never given any actual facts about what serious effects smoking can actually have on their bodies.
By educating themselves with a few teen smoking facts, teenagers will have a better chance at staying away from cigarettes and leading a long and healthy life. Smoking can have serious effects on people's bodies and because teens are still in a stage of development, they are even more susceptible to these harmful effects. There are more than 400 chemicals in cigarette smoke and more than 40 of them, are known carcinogens.
With every drag of a cigarette, you inhale a lung full of tar (yes, the stuff they use to pave the streets), hydrogen cyanide, benzene, acetone, formaldehyde, ammonia, and carbon monoxide. You wouldn't inhale the fumes from the tail pipe of a car, why would you inhale these fumes from a cigarette?
Obviously, teens who smoke are destined to inherit some serious health problems. Teen smokers have smaller lungs and weaker hearts than those teens who don't smoke. Teenage smokers are also more prone to getting sick than non smoking teens. Teenagers usually don't realize that nicotine addiction becomes more powerful over time. What starts out as a habit of smoking 5-10 cigarettes a day, could increase to a 2 pack a day problem.
A study shows that those who smoke even a pack of day die on average 7 years earlier than those who have never smoked. Smoking kills over 1,200 Americans a day and is the single most preventable cause of premature death. Teenagers who partake in smoking are also much more likely to experiment with other drugs and alcohol which can cause serious problems of their own. Teens who smoke are traveling down a very dangerous road, and most don't realize that once they begin their travels, they will most likely never stop.
Even with all of the measures taken to prevent teenage smoking, there are still some factors that exist that promote it. Parents are the biggest influence in a teenager's life. Adolescents who have two parents who smoke are more than twice as likely to become smokers as those children with non smoking parents. Parents are sometimes uncomfortable talking to their teens about not smoking because they feel the information is going in one ear and out the other, but the truth is that most of these kids are listening.
Of the 3000 adolescents who being smoking each day, close to 1000 of them will die a smoking related death. This is why it so important for parents to talk to their children and explain the dangers of smoking. Even though in most states you have to be 18 or older to purchase cigarettes, a 2001 survey shows that 69.4 percent of teen smokers reported never being asked for proof of age when buying cigarettes in a store. This same survey found that 62.4 percent were allowed to buy cigarettes even thought the retailer was aware they were under the age of 18.
Teen smoking facts are very important for today's young adult. The more knowledge these teenagers acquire, the more likely they will have the power to make a firm, conscious decision to never start smoking. Smoking related deaths claim more American lives than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. The sad part is that these deaths could all have been prevented. By educating teens to the fullest extent, they have a better chance of beating these odds and making their future bright.
There are more anti smoking measures being taken today than ever before, yet some teenagers disregard what they are told and begin to smoke anyway. This could be due to the fact that, despite all of our good efforts, these children are still not being fully educated about the very real dangers of smoking. Teenagers are at risk for very serious health problems once they begin smoking. Smoking can also lead to other bad habits suck as drinking and drug use. Parents are the biggest influence and do have the power to introduce their children to the dangers of smoking. There are other environmental factors though, that still make it easy and acceptable for teenagers to smoke. With combined efforts from adults, teenagers could be able to get the necessary education and make the decision to not smoke.
by: Millard Hiner
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