Parent Resource Center

Adolescence can be a time of rebellion, experimentation and extraordinary peer pressure. Some teens engage in risky behaviors to fit in with their friends, to find their place in the world, or to deal with stress. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, even the most sensible kids – the ones we think should know better – take up smoking.

Healthy Youth! Data & Statistics. YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Decline in daily smoking by younger teens has ended (PDF)
Monitoring the Future

ALL KIDS ARE VULNERABLE

It doesn’t matter if your child is an athlete, an "A" student, a preteen, or has even spent years nagging you or other relatives to quit smoking. All children are at some risk. You may think your child is immune from smoking because:

• She's too young.
• He's too smart to smoke; he knows how bad smoking is.
• Nobody in our family smokes.
• We do smoke and she hates it – she nags us to quit.
• He doesn't have enough spending money to buy cigarettes.
• He plays sports.
• We had a close relative die of lung cancer.

Unfortunately, these factors don't guarantee that your child will steer clear of cigarettes. According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and other organizations:

• Even though youth smoking is on the decline nationally, nearly 23% of high school students report having smoked a cigarette in the past month.11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results.
• Each day, more than 2,000 adolescents become daily smokers.22. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2003). Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NHSDA Series H-22, DHHS Publication No. SMA 03-3836). Rockville, MD.
• Children start young: Nearly one in six high school students say they first smoked a cigarette before age 13.33. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results. Other research is consistent with these findings. As shown in the chart below, some 17-year-olds reported that they tried their first cigarette before age 8.44. Philip Morris USA Youth Smoking Prevention (2007). Teenage Attitudes and Behavior Study - 2006 Results.

THE TIME TO TALK IS NOW

It’s essential to talk with your teen about smoking – especially if you have any suspicions that he may have tried it. While the conversation may be uncomfortable at first, it’s important not to put it off because:

• Some teens and preteens report signs of addiction with only occasional (non-daily) smoking.55. McNeill, A.D., West, R., Jarvis, M., Jackson, P., Bryant, A. (1986). Cigarette withdrawal symptoms in adolescent smokers. Psychopharmacology, 90, 533 - 536.,66. Barker, D. (1994, October 21). Reasons for tobacco use and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal among adolescent and young adult tobacco users - United States, 1993. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 43(41), 745-750.
• The younger kids are when they start smoking, the more likely they are to become addicted to smoking.77. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1994). Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General.(DHHS Publication No. 017-001-00491-0). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Government Printing Office.
• It has been estimated that more Americans die from cigarette-related illnesses than from alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined.88. Mokdad A.H., Marks J.S., Stroup D.F., Gerberding, J.L. (2004) Actual causes of death in the United States 2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, 291, 1238 - 1245.

If you think your child may have tried smoking, act now. Smoking is addictive and your intervention is important.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Most kids who smoke say they want to quit. Research tells us that 60% of current tobacco users age 11-17 report having tried to quit.99. Philip Morris USA Youth Smoking Prevention (2007). Teenage Attitudes and Behavior Study - 2006 Results. But sadly, only a small percentage of teens are successful – in part because they don’t know how to quit and don’t know where to turn for help. Many say they have difficulty doing it on their own. Their friends aren’t likely to be of much help, and many may hesitate to turn to their parents, for fear of being punished.1010. Mermelstein, R. (2003). Teen smoking cessation. Tobacco Control, 12(Suppl I), 125-134.

Research also shows that teens who talk with their parents first when they have serious problems are less likely to become regular smokers.1111. Distefan, J.M., Gilpin, E.A., Choi, W.S., & Pierce, J.P. (1998). Parental influences predict adolescent smoking in the United States, 1989-1993. Journal of Adolescent Health, 22, 466-474. Let your teen know that she can talk openly with you about smoking, even though you disapprove of her behavior. It’s important to keep the lines of communication open. The following pages can help you do that.

Next Topic: Things to Look For, Ways to Ask

Text in this section from: Could your kid be smoking? (2005)

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• Is Your Child at Risk for Smoking?
• Spot The Warning Signs