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Adolescent Smoking Risk Factors

While the health risks of smoking are numerous and well-known, many adolescents pick up the habit each year. The Centers for Disease Control has found that 80 percent of adult smokers started when they were adolescents. However, some kids are more likely to begin smoking than others. Parents should be aware of the risk factors for adolescent smoking.

  1. Family History

    • Having parents who smoke can significantly increase an adolescent's risk of smoking. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, adolescents are more likely to smoke if they see their parents smoking, and that the risk increases according to the length time adolescents are exposed to smoking. In addition, it has also been found that mothers who smoked and consumed alcohol throughout their pregnancies were more likely to raise children who began smoking as adolescents.

    Individual Factors

    • The Mayo Clinic reports that adolescents who have low self-esteem may be more inclined to begin smoking. Other individual factors that may increase the risk of smoking include age, alcohol use and academic success. Individuals who do not place an emphasis on education are less likely to understand the risks and consequences of smoking. Overweight adolescents are also more likely to begin smoking, sometimes thinking that smoking will help them to lose weight.

    Social Causes

    • Perhaps one of the greatest risk factors for adolescent smoking is peer pressure and other contextual factors. Besides parental smoking, seeing teachers or other school staff can increase the risk of adolescent smoking. Peer pressure to smoke can also be overwhelming for some school-aged children. Behaviors like drug and alcohol use also increase the risk of smoking. In addition, pop culture plays a large part in advertising smoking in music, movies and magazines. Adolescents may begin smoking to look cool, feel independent or act older.

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