Smoking and Teenagers

Many teenagers experiment with smoking as they do with other forms of adult behavior. Kids tend to be drawn to smoking and chewing tobacco for any number of reasons – the novelty of trying something new, to fit in with the peer group, to lose weight, feel independent and be considered ‘cool’. It is natural for children to experiment, but the danger lies in the addictive nature of nicotine. So a young person may start smoking just wanting to look big, but end up hooked. However, you can help fight these pulls and keep your child from trying – and getting addicted to – smoking.

If you smell smoke on your child’s clothing, try not to overreact. Ask your child about it first. It may mean your child as been hanging around with friends who smoke or that your child has simply tried a cigarette. Many kids do try a cigarette at one time or another but don’t go on to become regular smokers.

Sometimes even the best foundation isn’t enough to stop a child from experimenting with tobacco. Although it may be tempting to get angry, it might be more productive to focus on communicating with your child.

What Parents Can Do:

• Don’t smoke yourself – or if you do, try to give it up. Children from non-smoking homes are much less likely to take up the habit.

• Be open minded and engage in a non-judgmental and non-punitive conversation with your teenager about smoking. Let him or her know your concerns about smoking. Share your worries about them falling into the ‘cool’ trap.

• Discuss peer pressure issues and help them with a solution-focused approach towards problem solving in peer related concerns.

• Be supportive. Look at the teenagers’ reasons for wanting to smoke and help them find alternative ways of fitting into peer groups.

• Do not preach or give lectures. Explain how just trying one cigarette can lead to addiction.

• Inform your child about dangers to health.

• If your teenager is already into smoking, do not criticize, but keep an open discussion going, encouraging him to give up rather than trying to force the issue.