In June of 2016, new studies were published by the CDC that estimated that teen cigarette smoking rates for high school students are the lowest they have been in the past 25 years. While cigarette smoking has decreased, teenagers are partaking in other risky activities, such as using e-cigarettes. Studies might seem optimistic, but it is still very important to educate teenagers and parents about smoking.
Everyone these days knows that smoking cigarettes is bad for you, yet many people still do it. In fact, there are new consumers of cigarettes every day, primarily of the teen age demographic. This article is intended to help parents who find their
With flashy and convincing marketing targeted specifically at teens, it can be hard for them to avoid trying smoking. Once a teen tries smoking once, he or she is likely to continue smoking.
If your teen is smoking, you need to know why. Knowing the answer to this will help you as you work out a plan with your teen to stop smoking. Many tobacco users have histories of depression and originally began using tobacco as a way of self-medicating. Nicotine numbs feelings, says parenting professional,
While depression is not the only reason teens smoke, it is a serious mood disorder that might also need treatment.
When we see a
teen using tobacco, it is important to consider what drove that child to start smoking; especially when there is so much information out there proving the hurt that tobacco can cause to an individual’s health.
Many teens, especially girls, think that smoking will keep them skinny. Cigarette companies capitalize on this using branding such as “slims” or “light,” explains Jean Kilbourne.
Cigarettes have also become synonymous with liberation. The cigarette will forever represent a deviant culture that perpetuates a rule-breaking, “cool,” and elite group that many wish to be a part of. Tobacco has been glamorized to the point where teenagers are willing to accept the harm to their health (which will effect them in the long run) for the short-term popular status they get in return.
If you have a teen who regularly smokes, ask him or her what the pay off of such risky behavior is, recommends parenting professional,
He also tells parents to reward their kid to fight the battle to
stop smoking; going for bigger rewards than the kid gets from smoking will result in more of a motivation to stop smoking.
Article Categories:
Category:
Related Articles You May Like
About Michael J. Bradley, EdD
Michael J. Bradley, EdD, award-winning author, has counseled adolescents and their parents for over 30 years and currently has a private practice in suburban Philadelphia. As a recognized specialist in adolescent behavior and parenting, Dr. Bradley is in demand as a speaker and facilitator for mental health professionals, educators, and parenting groups. He has appeared on over 400 radio and television shows, including CNN, The Today Show and Good Morning, America, and has been interviewed by numerous magazines and newspapers such as USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Parents Magazine. His website forum is a great source of advice and encouragement to parents.
