Teen Smoking Effects

About 6,000 teenagers smoke their first cigarettes each day, according to the Smoking Effects website. Of these, about 2,000 will continue to smoke beyond their teen years. A habit that teenagers often develop out of a desire to fit in can, in the long run, not only be difficult to quit, but also have a lasting impact socially, cosmetically and healthwise.

Social

• The social effects of smoking can take several forms. While teens often start smoking to gain status in the eyes of their peers, recent years have seen a smoking backlash in many areas. For example, in January of 2010, the state of North Carolina banned smoking in all restaurants and bars with the exception of private clubs, sending teens outside to smoke away from their nonsmoking peers. That state charges 0.35 tax per pack of cigarettes, a "sin tax" that the state's governor proposes raising in 2010 to $1.35 per pack, drastically hurting the spending power of smoking teens, many of whom do not yet hold jobs.

Cosmetic

• At an age when teens are acutely aware of appearances, they should be aware that cigarettes can have many undesirable cosmetic consequences. For example, smoking causes bad breath, stains teeth and contributes to cavities at a rate of three to one compared to nonsmokers, according to the Center for Young Women's Health. Smoke smells bad and tends to linger on clothing and hair. Smoking contributes to wrinkles, especially around the mouth, from constant puckering.

Addictive

• Cigarettes contain nicotine, which is not only poisonous but addictive. The Center for Young Women's Health contends that cigarette advertising purposely targets teens, who are often easily swayed by slick marketing campaigns. Many teens start smoking with the idea that they can stop at any time, only to find that this is not always the case. Those who find it hard to stop smoking for as little as a week may be dependent on nicotine.

Health

• The area that teens are most likely to suffer adverse consequences from smoking is their health. Each cigarette may contain up to 4,000 different chemicals, many that are toxic. Notable examples include nicotine, carbon monoxide, ammonia, arsenic and butane. Smoking negatively impacts the heart and lungs, leads to increased recovery times for colds and flu, increases the chance of strokes, contributes to the risk of various cancers and affects hormone levels.