For Teens: What You Should Know About Smoking
For Teens: What You Should Know About Smoking
Smoking has been linked with many serious illnesses. It also has been shown to increase signs of aging. When you smoke, your breathing becomes shallow, and your lungs fill with smoke. This means you get less air. Cigarettes also fill your body with chemicals, such as nicotine and tar.
How smoking affects you
Smoking can:
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Make other people not want to be around you
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Make people feel like they are kissing an ashtray
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Make you and your surroundings stink
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Make some people not want to date you
Facing facts
Hear the facts about smoking from those who have been doing it for a few years. Find a smoker or two. Ask a few questions. See if their answers sound something like these:
Are you glad you started smoking?
“Not really. It seemed cool then. Now I worry about cancer and problems like that.”
Does smoking make you feel better?
“Maybe I feel better for a few minutes. But it sure hasn’t solved any of my problems.”
Have you thought about quitting?
“Yes, I try to quit all the time—but it’s hard.”
To learn more
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www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/ 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
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www.teen.smokefree.gov 877-44U-QUIT (877-448-7848)
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www.lung.org/stop-smoking/ 800-LUNGUSA (800-586-4872)
Updated:
December 17, 2019
Sources:
Prevention of smoking initiation in children and adolescents. UpToDate
Reviewed By:
Liora C Adler MD,L Renee Watson MSN RN,L Renee Watson MSN RN