Teenage and smoking

It is well known that smoking is harmful to health but still many teens smoke. Nearly all long-term smokers started smoking before the age of 18.

Teen smoking is more common among teens whose parents smoke.

Most teens believe that occasionally smoking would not cause harm to them and not become addicted and think that they can stop smoking at any time they want.

Smoking during childhood and adolescence causes significant health problems among young people.

Every day, almost 3500 children under 18 years of age try their first cigarette and more than 500 of them will become addicted to this habit and become regular daily smokers.

People who start smoking at an early age are more likely to develop a severe addiction to nicotine than those who start at a late age.

Due to smoking at an early age , young people under the age of 18 eventually die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. Around 4-5 million youth die due to smoking per year.

Smoking is found to stunt the physical growth or mental growth of child smokers. As a report by Researchers, teenagers from lower social, educational and economic levels started smoking earlier and continue to be regular smokers in a large proportion as compared to teenagers from families with higher socioeconomic and educational standards. Boys start smoking earlier than girls.

Smoking

Various reasons for smoking in teenagers:-

1) Imitation – There are Some who like to imitate others, especially the influential or popular immediate senior around them. They imitate dresses, mannerisms and habits of smoking too.

2) As an act of defiance- some teenagers think that they are committing an act of courage.

3) Attraction to forbidden action – since society, in general, does not approve of smoking at a young age, some teenagers find psychological pleasure in committing the forbidden act of smoking.

4) The show-off- some teenagers start smoking just to show off sophistication.

5) To confirm the general practice – a large number of teenagers start smoking just to belong to a group of friends or associates who are already smokers.

6) Following the habit of parents – off springs of parents who smoke, invariably become smokers.

7) Suggestions from seniors- Teenagers who have already acquired the habit of smoking induce others around them to start smoking and due to ignorance juniors start smoking.

8) To appear and feel like a grown-up– Many teenagers smoke to show that they are capable of taking independent decisions.

9) To relieve boredom – Many college students continue to smoke to relieve boredom or to pass time when there is nothing to do. They also smoke while daydreaming or when lost in thoughts.

10) To feel refreshed and relaxed- students feel that during tension or anxiety, smoking helps them to relax and to feel refreshed when tired.