Smoking is a very tempting habit beside it gives the smoker kind
off attracting look that’s why teen agers looks at it as a habit they must gain
it and start doing it saying “ when I grow up I want to smoke cigars , pipe and
some other shapes for this smoke .
Teen agers give many different reasons for smoking… Some say
smoking makes them “feel mature and act like an adult” or “To fit in with a
group socially and friends” or “To try to control body weight (this is what
young girls usually say!” Teens who smoke regularly are more likely to have
parents, siblings, or friends who smoke.
Girls today smoke more
than boys specially (Argelih or shisha), Many attribute this to girls’ growing
obsession with staying slim (as nicotine is a potent appetite suppressant) and
cigarette ads’ portrayal of girls who smoke as sexy.
We all know now that smoking causing heart disease, cancers, and
strokes… Teens can become hooked on
cigarettes after smoking only a few packs and once addicted… they find it extremely hard to quit.
Kids who smoke have more physical complaints than their peers
who do not smoke. Smokers Cough and have asthma attacks more often and develop
respiratory problems, leading to more sick days, more doctor bills, and poorer
athletic performance.
Teens who smoke are three times more likely to drink alcohol,
eight times more likely to smoke marijuana and twenty-two times more likely to
use cocaine. For that reason, smoking has been dubbed a “gateway” drug.
Parents play an integral part in helping keep their kids to stop
smoking. The tips below can help you :
Take a Stand at Home Early and Often
- Despite the impact of movies, music, and TV, parents can be the GREATEST INFLUENCE in their kids’ lives.
- Talk directly to children about the risks of smoking; if friends or relatives died from tobacco-related illnesses let your kids know.
- If you smoke, you can still make a difference. Your best move, of course, is to try to quit. Meanwhile, don’t smoking your children’s presence, and don’t leave it where they can easily get it.
- Start the
dialog about smoking at age 5 or 6 and continue through their high school
years. Many kids start smoking by age 11 and many are addicted by age 14.
- Know if your
kids’ friends smoke. Talk about ways to refuse tobacco.
- Make a
Difference in Your Community-Your kids follow by example
- Support businesses that don’t sell tobacco to kids. Frequent restaurants and other places that are no smoking ears.
stop smoking abuse stop child abuse
Ana Insan
