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The Health Risks of Smoking Cigarettes When You're a Teen

Although the number of young smokers is decreasing, the truth is that more than 25 percent, or 71 million American teenagers smoke cigarettes. Teenagers may begin smoking because their friends or family members smoke and because they are influenced by advertising, movies and television. Despite the widely-publicized health risks of cigarettes and the banning of smoking in most public places, around 3,500 people aged under 18 try smoking for the first time every day, says the American Cancer Society.

  1. General Health

    • If you are a teenager who smokes, your general health is likely to be poorer than that of your fellow non-smokers. Smoking causes coughing, excessive phlegm, reduced lung function, shortness of breath, poor circulation and rapid heartbeat, which collectively lead to reduced physical fitness. Teenage smokers are unlikely to be as active or perform as well at sports as teenage nonsmokers. Furthermore, smoking interferes with collagen synthesis, slowing the rate at which sports injuries such as damaged ligaments can heal.

    Bad Skin, Breath and Teeth

    • Smoking restricts blood vessels, depriving your skin of vital oxygen and nutrients. This can result in a pale, unhealthy appearance and the early development of wrinkles. Smokers may also be more likely to develop psoriasis, says TeensHealth. Yellow teeth and constant bad breath -- known as halitosis -- are other consequences of smoking.

    Susceptibility to Illness

    • Smokers are more susceptible to colds, flu, headaches and respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia than nonsmokers. People with asthma find their condition worsens if they smoke or are subjected to secondhand smoke. Teenagers who smoke instead of eating are more susceptible to infection because they lack the nutrients necessary to stay healthy and prevent illness.

    Nicotine Addiction

    • The younger you are when you start smoking, the more likely you will become addicted to nicotine and continue to smoke in adulthood. Approximately 75 percent of high school smokers are unable to quit even though they try. Nearly 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking at 19 years of age or younger, says the American Cancer Society. Teenagers who do not stop smoking can expect the same long-term health effects as adult smokers.

    Long-Term Health Risks

    • Teenagers who continue to smoke are at an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, emphysema, cancer -- including lung, throat, bladder and stomach cancer -- osteoporosis, fertility problems, gum disease, tooth loss, macular degeneration and hearing difficulties, caused by the poisons in cigarettes. Smoking can cut your life short by at least 10 years, says TeensHealth. Approximately one third of teenage smokers will die prematurely due to smoking, according to the American Cancer Society.

    Drug Use

    • Teenage smokers are eight times more likely to use marijuana than nonsmokers and 22 times more likely to try cocaine, says the World Health Organization. They are also three times more likely to use alcohol than nonsmokers.

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