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Ways to Teach About Smoking in Adolescents

In spite of increased negative public perception, tobacco use remains prevalent among youths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3,900 young people begin smoking every day, A thousand or more of them will die prematurely due to the habit. So preventing adolescents from taking up the habit is vital, and there are many ways to approach the topic.

  1. Questions

    • Starting a discussion with a question about smoking is one way to get the ball rolling, as a two-way conversation can work better for getting your message across than mere lecturing. For example, when a character on television or a movie is a smoker, ask your child her opinion of it. Let her know that there is no right or wrong answer; you want her to be honest, as opposed to secretly wanting to smoke but telling you what you want to hear.

    Positive Reinforcement

    • The dangers of tobacco use are well-documented. Everything from lung cancer to heart disease can be attributable to smoking, and adolescents, who are well aware of it, continue to light up. Try accentuating the positives, such as how not smoking leads to better sports performance and physical shape. Convey that if your child smokes, physical exertion will be twice as hard. Another example would be to focus on the financial aspect, as children can save a lot of money for the things they love by staying smoke-free.

    Dealing with Peer Pressure

    • As is the case with many negative things that adolescents get into, peer pressure and the need to fit in can play a major role in a youth lighting up for the first time. They know how awkward it feels to say no when they are pressured by friends. Instill the message that true friends wouldn't put that kind of pressure on your child, and his health is more important than a few weeks with the "in" crowd.

    Long-term Effects

    • Those who are tempted to smoke are able to sometimes rationalize things by observing longtime smokers who are otherwise healthy. Everybody's seen the ad campaigns littered with horror stories about people whose lives have been drastically affected by tobacco-related illness. But in their day-to-day lives, adolescents see many people, including celebrities, who seem to be doing just fine as heavy smokers. It's important to get the message across that smoking kills slowly, and it will catch up to them even if they feel and look fine in the meantime.

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