SMOKING and TEENAGERS

SMOKING AMONG TEENS in the UNITED STATES

4.5 million kids aged 12-17 smoke.

Each day, more than 3,000 kids become daily smokers.

Most teen regular smokers report some level of addiction and withdrawal.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL AGE FOR SMOKING?

18

HOW MANY TEENAGERS SMOKE?

Cigarette smoking: 12th graders

Per

cen

t o

f st

ud

ents

Students who smoked one or more cigarettes in the past month

0

10

20

30

40

50

1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002Year

White

Hispanic

Black

CONSEQUENCES of SMOKING

Nearly 440,000 people die each year because of smoking.

Smoking kills more Americans every year than car accidents, alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, fire, and AIDS combined.

CAUSES of DEATH in the U.S.

0 5 10 15 20

Tobacco

Poor diet and exercise

Alcohol

Infections

Pollutants/toxins

Firearms

Sexual behavior

Motor vehicles

Illicit drug use

1 in 5 DEATHSare caused by TOBACCO

Percentage of all deaths

Smoking can harm YOU and OTHERS.

WHAT’S in TOBACCO SMOKE?

Harmful gases

Tar Lead Nicotine

4,800 chemicals in tobacco smoke

Many are PROVEN to cause cancer

A diseased lung showing emphysema, characteristic of smoking

FORMS OF TOBACCO

Cigarettes Smokeless tobacco: snuff, chewing

tobacco Pipes Cigars Clove cigarettes Bidis

SMOKING AND QUITTING

About 3 in 100 quit for good

What does this mean?Tobacco is VERY addictive,

and it’s hard to quit, even if you want to quit.

NICOTINE, in tobacco, NICOTINE, in tobacco,

makes people become addicted to makes people become addicted to smokingsmoking

7 of every 10 smokers want to quit!7 of every 10 smokers want to quit!

Nicotine entersNicotine enters brain brain

Stimulates brain Stimulates brain receptorsreceptors

Release of “pleasure” Release of “pleasure” chemicalschemicals

GETTING HOOKED on TOBACCO

FIRST USE:Tastes bad;dizzy,nausea

NEXT FEW USES:Not as bad, getting used to it

MONTHS LATER:Smokingmoreregularly, start craving it

A YEAR or MORE LATER:Hooked and can’t quit

TOBACCO and PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Bad breath

Hair and clothes stink

Stains teeth

TOBACCO and ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

NICOTINE/SMOKING:

Narrows blood vessels, puts extra strain on your heart

Harms lungs, reducing oxygen availability during exercise

Causes shortness of breath

Can’t run as fast or as far

HOOKED on TOBACCO?

NEW SMOKERS SUFFER:

Coughing Difficulty breathing Lung infections Increased resting

heart rates Increased likelihood of

stronger addiction, the younger they start

HOOKED on TOBACCO?YOU SMOKE: As soon as you wake up When stressed With friends Automatically To concentrate, for energy

WHEN YOU CAN’T SMOKE: Irritable, restless Impatient, nervous Tired, can’t sleep well Can’t concentrate well Crave a cigarette above all

else

HOOKED AND CAN’T QUIT

HOOKED on TOBACCO?

AFTER SEVERAL YEARS of SMOKING

Cancers Heart diseases Lung diseases Stroke Slower healing & recovery

after surgery Eye diseases Sexual dysfunction Bone loss Lipid profile changes Difficulty getting pregnant

WHY DO TEENS START SMOKING?

Advertisements

Their friends smoke

People in their family smoke

Rebel against parents, others

TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS

Cigarette companies claim they do not advertise to kids

Recently, Phillip Morris claimed it is a changed company and that its goal is “to responsibly market our products to adults who choose to smoke”

Cigarette companies cannot stay in business unless kids smoke

HELPING TEENS STOP SMOKING

Difficult to do—teens get addicted, too

Can’t use nicotine patches or gum

Teen stop-smoking programs

Best way is prevention…

DON’T START!

70% of all teen smokers wish they had never started

HELPING TEENS STOP SMOKING

WHAT CAN YOU DO to AVOID TOBACCO ADDICTION?

Make a commitment. Commit to NOT using tobacco, EVER. Decide that you do not want your life

to be ruled by an addiction. Know the truth.

Despite all the tobacco used on TV and in the movies … most teens, adults, and athletes don’t use tobacco.

Don’t let the tobacco industry fool you.

Do any of your friends or family members smoke or use tobacco? YES: Encourage them to quit NO: Encourage them to stay tobacco-

free. Get involved in sports and other

activities. Students who are involved in

extracurricular activities are less likely to use drugs or tobacco.

WHAT CAN YOU DO to AVOID TOBACCO ADDICTION?

Spend your money on things other than tobacco.

Get involved: Spread the word about the dangers

of tobacco use Start or join an activist group against

smoking

WHAT CAN YOU DO to AVOID TOBACCO ADDICTION?

IT COSTS A LOT TO SMOKE

Packsper day

Buying cigarettes every day for 50 years @ $4.12 per packMoney banked monthly, earning 1.5% interest

0 100 200 300 400

Hundreds of thousands of dollars lost

$331,467

$220,978

$110,489