The effects of smoking on young people
Many early smokers think that they can quit smoking easily, but later find that they are addicted. The earlier a person starts smoking, the bigger the risk of lung cancer . People who start smoking before age 15 have a higher risk of lung cancer, heart and circulatory diseases. If the smoker is in the ages of 12-14 they will develop respiratory diseases. If the smoker is in the ages of 15-18 they will develop heart and circulatory problems.
Stages in smoking
Young smokers go through a lot of stages; each stage is different. One of the stages is precontemplation during this stage the child is not thinking about smoking, but receives messages about it. Contemplation is when the child is curious and considers trying a cigarette. Initiation is when the child tries smoking because friends influence them. Experimentation is the stage where many young people become addicted to nicotine after smoking two cigarettes. At this stage, friends are the strongest influence. Maintenance is when the somker is addicted and he does not even know it.
Parents
There are many ways on how to prevent your kids from smoking. One of the ways is that parents should talk to their kids about realationships and how to choose a true friend that would not tell them to do bad things. It is also very important that parents pay attention to their children because if they do not the kids will feel abandoned and will look for someone who cares for them. The children will turn to friends who will offer them cigarettes, drugs, and tabacco. The parents should also not smoke because if the kids see their mom or dad smoke they will think that smoking is right.
Friends
Many kids smoke to be part of a group or to feel 'cool'. Friends are the biggest influence in kids. Friends will say that you need to smoke a cigarette to be part of their group. That is why kids should know how to choose their real friends.
Be Happy With Yourself
Kids that are not happy with themselves have a higher risk of becoming smokers. Kids who think that they are overwheight, or ugly are unhappy about how they look and will often smoke because they think it makes them attractive but it does not. Other people smoke because they think it helps them with stress, boredom, unhappiness, fear, and other problems in their lives.
Teachers
Schools should have a rule against teachers smoking. Teachers shoud not smoke because the students will think that their teachers are doing the right thing. Teachers who smoke make smoking seem safe and acceptable so the students will do what the teachers do and smoke.
