Help teens quit smoking

Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing(carcinogenic) compounds and 400 other toxins. Some of these toxins include:

• Nicotine
• Tar
• Carbon monoxide
• Formaldehyde
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen cyanide
• Arsenic
• DDT

The number one problem with teens smoking is that cigarettes are highly addictive. It is the nicotine that causes the addictions. When someone is smoking, the nicotine that is inhaled from the cigarette reaches the lungs and goes to the brain in only six seconds.

Some adults and teens are under the misconception that filtered cigarettes are less dangerous. This is very untrue. Filters on cigarettes are just a way for the tobacco companies to make people think they are safer. Here are some other chemicals that are in cigarettes that are very bad for teen's health:

• Fungicides and pesticides cause many types of cancers and birth defects
• Cadmium linked to lung and prostate cancer
• Benzene linked to leukemia
• Formaldehyde has been linked to lung cancer
• Nickel causes increased vulnerability to lung infections

When parents find out that their teen has been smoking cigarettes, they may not know what to do. However, parents can do many things to help their teens with smoking, both preventative, and after the teen is involved in smoking. Here are several tips for parents to deal with their teens and smoking:

• Understand the attraction. Sometimes teen smoking is just a way to fit in and be a part of the "in" crowd. Other times, teens may smoke to feel more adult, independent, or cool. Ask your teen how he or she feels about smoking. Ask your teen which of their friends smoke.
• Say no to teen smoking. You may feel like your teen is not going to listen to you, but you need to set clear expectations and boundaries when it comes to smoking. Your disapproval may impact them more than you think it will. Studies show teens who thought their parents wouldn't care if they smoked were much more likely to start smoking than those who knew their parents didn't want them to.
• Set a good example. Teen smoking is much more common if the parents or other adults in the home participate in smoking. If you do smoke, quit now, especially for the health of your children. Ask your doctor about stop smoking products or other ways to help your quit smoking. In the meantime, do not smoke in front of your children, in the house, or in the car. Do'’t leave cigarettes where they could find them. Explain how you regret your decision to start smoking, and how difficult it is to quit.
• Appeal to your teen's vanity. Smoking isn't glamorous, although movies and other entertainment try to betray it as such. Share with your teen how dirty and smelly smoking is. Tell them about the bad breath, stained teeth, and smell it causes. Smoking can also leave people with a chronic cough and inhibit them from participating in the activities they enjoy.