How to Help Teenagers Stop Smoking

Teen smoking has been on the decline in the last decade as anti-smoking advertising has increased, however, there are still teenagers who start smoking and have difficulty quitting the habit. You can help a teen quit smoking by following some simple steps.

Instructions

• 1

  Keep teenagers out of situations that may tempt them to smoke. Tell them that being around people who smoke will make it harder to break the smoking habit. Have them tell their friends who smoke that they can talk to the smokers by phone, text or internet, but cannot see them in person unless the smokers agree not to smoke around them. If they have "friends" who ridicule them or make them feel uncool because they've decided to quit, they should stay away from those individuals.

• 2

  Model the behavior for the teenager. If you smoke, attempt to stop in order to credibly demonstrate the desired behavior for the teen. Give plenty of moral support and praise even if the teen slips up and has a cigarette. Explain that the teen can get right back on the wagon, and that occasional lapses are common when quitting smoking.

• 3

  Have teens seek encouragement and keep busy. Suggest that they keep a journal that records their stop-smoking efforts. Tell them to ask for encouragement from their supportive friends. Take them to non-smoking venues, such as movies, the mall, sporting events, restaurants and dances. Have them stay busy to keep their thoughts away from smoking.

• 4

  Encourage teens to start an exercise program. This has multiple benefits, including putting them in the company of health-conscious people, keeping their mind off smoking, and improving their cardiovascular fitness. If their diet is less than balanced, suggest they take a daily supplement that includes vitamins A, E, C, and the B vitamins. Beta carotene (vitamin A) has been shown to reduce some of the harmful effects of smoking and may aid the body in recovery.

• 5

  Take teens to a doctor who can prescribe medications that may make it easier to stop smoking. Medications like theophylline (Theo-24), varenicline, bupropion (Zyban, Wellbutrin) and the nicotine patch are available with a prescription. The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology published a study that showed that teens who used the patch were as successful as adults at stopping smoking. Be sure to discuss side effects and drug interactions before starting teens on any new medications.

• 6

  Try an over-the-counter smoking-cessation product. Among OTC products that may aid teens in kicking the smoking habit are nicotine gum, lozenges and nasal inhalers. Be sure to check with a physician before your teen starts using of any of these products.

• 7

  Encourage your teen not to give up. Quitting smoking is a difficult process, but the physical withdrawal effects usually last no longer than three weeks. Explain to teens that smoking cessation involves a psychological process as well as the physical one. Help them overcome the psychological addiction by suggesting they use visualization techniques such as "seeing" themselves as a non-smoker or "seeing" their lungs pink and clear. Tell them to take this process one day at a time. If they can get through one day, maybe they can get through the next.