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How Can I Get My Daughter to Quit Smoking?

According to the American Heart Association, a 2008 study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that approximately 21.1 million American women were smokers. The effects of cigarette smoking are profound and can lead to certain types of cancers, heart attack and stroke. Many women who are smokers have parents who want to encourage their child to give up this unhealthy habit. There are several ways that a concerned parent can help a daughter to quit smoking.

Things You'll Need

  • Stop smoking aids
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Instructions

    • 1

      Quit smoking with your daughter, if you are also a smoker. The two of you can speak with a counselor to offer you more ideas to help you quit, or attend a local smoking cessation group in your area.

    • 2

      Avoid confronting your daughter or threatening her if you catch her smoking or if she admits that she is smoking. Instead, ask her why she started smoking and offer her suggestions on how to quit, including smoking cessation products, peer stop smoking groups, or counseling.

    • 3

      Inform your daughter of the positive outcomes of not smoking. These include a healthier life, more money in her pocket, and clothes and breath that do not smell like smoke.

    • 4

      Ask your daughter if she has any friends who smoke and if she feels peer pressure to smoke. If so, tell her that it is okay to say "no" to cigarettes and encourage her to talk to her friends about quitting. You can also talk to your daughter's friend or her friend's parents about tobacco use.

    • 5

      Ask friends and family members to avoid smoking around your daughter. Inform them that she is trying to quit and ask them to also refrain from buying cigarettes for her or offering her a cigarette.

    • 6

      Offer to help your daughter purchase stop smoking aids if she is not financially able to do so. Stop smoking patches, lozenges and gums are available without a prescription. Your daughter can also go to a doctor where she can obtain a prescription for smoking cessation medications.

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