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The health risks of tobacco are well known, yet the rates of
smoking and the use of chewing tobacco continue to grow.
Many people are picking up these habits when they are young
- in fact, 90% of all adult smokers started when they were
kids. And each day, more than 4,400 kids become regular
smokers. So it's
important to make sure your child understands the dangers
that go along with using tobacco. Smoking is the leading
cause of preventable deaths in the United States. It can
cause cancer, heart disease, or lung disease. Chewing
tobacco (smokeless or spit tobacco) can lead to nicotine
addiction, oral cancer, gum disease, and an increased risk
of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.
If you arm your child with
information about the risks of smoking and chewing
tobacco, and establish clear rules and your reasons for
them, you can help prevent your child from picking up
those unhealthy habits. If your child is already using
tobacco, there are warning signs that can clue you in and
constructive ways to help your child quit.
The
Facts About Tobacco
One of the major problems with smoking and
chewing tobacco has to do with the chemical nicotine.
A person can get addicted to nicotine within days of a first
encounter with it. In fact, the nicotine in tobacco can be
as addictive as cocaine or heroine. Nicotine affects a
person's mood as well as the heart, lungs, stomach, and
nervous system.
And there are other health
risks. Short-term effects of smoking include coughing and
throat irritation. Over time, more serious conditions may
develop, including increases in heart rate and blood
pressure. Smoking also leads to bronchitis and emphysema.
Finally, numerous studies
indicate that young smokers are more likely to experiment
with marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or other illicit drugs.
Preventing Your Child From Picking Up the Habit
Kids tend to be drawn to smoking and chewing tobacco for any
number of reasons - to look cool, act older, lose weight,
win cool merchandise, seem tough, or feel independent. But
you can combat those draws and keep your child from trying -
and getting addicted to - tobacco.
If you establish a good
foundation of communication with your child early, it will
be much easier later on to work through tricky issues like
tobacco use. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
- Discuss other
sensitive topics in a way that doesn't make your child
fear punishment or judgment.
- Emphasize what your
child does right rather than wrong. Self-confidence is
your child's best protection against peer pressure.
- Encourage your child
to get involved in activities that prohibit smoking,
such as sports.
- Show your child that
you value his or her opinions and ideas.
- When it comes to the
dangers of tobacco use, it's important to keep talking
to your child about it over the years. Even the youngest
child can understand that smoking is bad for the body.
- Ask your child what he
or she finds appealing - or unappealing - about smoking.
Be a patient listener.
- Read, watch
television, and go to the movies with your child.
Compare media images with what happens in reality.
- Discuss ways to
respond to peer pressure to smoke. Your child may feel
confident simply saying "no." But also offer your child
alternative responses such as "It will make my clothes
and breath smell bad" or "I hate the way it makes me
look."
- Encourage your child
to walk away from friends who don't recognize or respect
his or her reasons for not smoking.
- Explain how much
smoking governs the daily life of kids who start doing
it. How do they afford the cigarettes? How do they have
money to pay for other things they want? How does it
affect their friendships?
- Establish firm rules
that exclude smoking and chewing tobacco from your house
and explain why: Smokers smell bad, look bad, and feel
bad, and it's bad for everyone's health.
Signs That Your Child May Have Started 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 has 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.
Some additional signs of tobacco use include:
- coughing
- throat irritation
- hoarseness
- bad breath
- decreased athletic
performance
- greater susceptibility
to colds
- stained teeth and
clothing (which also can be signs of chewing tobacco
use)
- shortness of breath
What
to Do if Your Child Already Smokes
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. Here are some tips that
may help:
- Resist lecturing or
turning your advice into a sermon.
- Uncover what appeals
to your child about smoking and talk about it honestly.
- Remind your child
about the immediate downsides to smoking: less money to
spend on other pursuits, shortness of breath, bad
breath, yellow teeth, and smelly clothes. Many times,
kids aren't able to appreciate how their current
behaviors can affect their future health.
- Stick to the smoking
rules you've set up. And don't let your child smoke at
home to keep him or her at home or to keep the peace.
- If your child says, "I
can quit any time I want," ask him or her to show you by
quitting cold turkey for a week.
- Don't nag your child
to quit. Ultimately, the decision is your child's -
focus on helping your child to make a wise one.
- Help your child
develop a quitting plan and offer information and
resources.
- Reinforce your child's
decision to quit with praise.
- Stress the natural
rewards that come with quitting: freedom from addiction,
improved fitness, better athletic performance, and
improved appearance.
- Encourage a meeting
with your child's doctor, who can be supportive
emotionally and may have treatment plans.
If
You Smoke
Kids are quick to observe any contradiction between what
their parents say and what they do. Despite what you might
think, most kids say that the adult whom they most want to
be like when they grow up is a parent.
If you're a smoker:
- First, admit to your
child that you made a mistake by starting to smoke and
that if you had it to do over again, you'd never start.
- Second, quit. It's not
simple by any means. It may take several attempts
and the extra help of a program or support group. But
your child will be encouraged as he or she sees you
overcome your addiction to tobacco.
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