Rothie Nelson

How to Help Parents Stop Teen Smoking

What is underage smoking? Any illegal tobacco consumption used by adolescents under the age of 18.

Why is smoking dangerous for adolescents?

Each day, 3,000 American adolescents become established smokers (Gilpin, Choi, Berry, & Pierce, 1999), and it is estimated that 1,000 of these children will eventually die of tobacco related illnesses (Centers for Disease Control, 1996)” (Jason, Pokorny, Turner, Feeland, Corbin, & Driscoll, 2005, p. 299).
Some of the long term effects of cigarette smoking include “cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus and…development of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, stomach, and some leukemia’s (Canty, Caldwell, Daniel, Jennings, Whitley, & Withrow, 2003, p.1).
Smoking also causes breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, oral cancer, gum disease, pregnancy complications and increase suicide risk (Canty, et. al, 2003, p. 1-2).
“Morbidity and mortality rates are much higher when the onset of cigarette smoking occurs in adolescence versus adulthood. It is estimated that smoking will be responsible for the premature death (before age 70) of 55% of young men and 51% of young women smokers now aged 15 if they continue to smoke” (UBC Medicine, 2007, p. 1).
“So few people begin smoking after age 18, critics argue that tobacco companies try to persuade adolescents to smoke so that they will become addicted to nicotine before they are mature enough to realize fully the potential risks of smoking (Arnett, 2000b; Romer & Jamieson, 2001; Slovic, 1998)” (Arnett, 2004, p. 405).

What can parents do?

Show concern about what’s going on in your adolescent’s life.
Communicate with your adolescents.
If they are smoking, impose consequences.
Efforts can teach parents about how they can help stop their adolescent from smoking.
Parents can ask their child how they are getting cigarettes and why are they smoking.
Parents can communicate with teachers and counselors about possible issues and solutions on curbing all present and future smoking aspects.

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