Keeping Your Teen from Becoming a Smoker

“If you don’t start, you don’t have to quit,” anti-smoking campaigners say. There are steps parents can take to help their children stay smoke-free.

Set a good example: If you smoke yourself, work hard to quit. Teen smoking is more common among teens whose parents smoke. Don’t smoke in the house, the car or, if possible, in front of your teen. Don’t leave cigarettes lying around. Talk to your teen about your habit and explain how hard it can be to quit from your own experience. Tell your teenager how it has impacted your life. Smoker or not, if your home is smoke-free, keep it that way. Make it a zone that is safe from the smell of cigarettes.

Understand the Pressure: Some kids smoke to fit in, others to lose weight, others to feel cool or independent. Talk to your teen about his or her views on smoking and really listen. Many kids take up smoking because they anxious or depressed, or because they lack the self-esteem to stand apart from the crowd. Try to get to the bottom of what’s causing I your child to smoke.

Say No to Teen Smoking: Take a stand, even if you think you won’t be heard. Make it clear that you don’t approve. Parents who do not speak up are missing an opportunity to communicate with their children and to show that they care about their health.

Reach Beyond the Family: Do you have a family friend or relative who is suffering as a result of a long time smoking habit? Make sure your teen is aware of their health problems and understands the link to smoking.

Think Beyond Cigarettes: Get the facts and don’t be fooled. Smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes (kreteks), candy-flavoured cigarettes (bidis) and hookah smoking (smoking tobacco through a water pipe) are promoted as safer than cigarettes. But they are addictive and can cause cancer and other health problems. Many, in fact, deliver even higher concentrations of nicotine, cabon monoxiode and tar than traditional cigarettes.

post by, Lai