What You Can Do
Here are some ways to help your children reject the
lure of cigarettes:
• Set a good example. Did you
know that children who live with smokers are two to
three times more likely to smoke when they become teenagers?
If you smoke, one of the best reasons to stop is the
future of your children.
• Be honest with your children. Talk
about your experience with tobacco — including
your mistakes. This may encourage your children to be
more open and honest with you.
• Establish and enforce clear rules about
smoking in your home. Tell your children how
disappointed you'll be if you find out they're smoking.
If you find out your child is smoking, use the opportunity
to discuss your feelings rather than overreacting and
taking away privileges. Your child may take your concerns
more seriously if you use this approach.
• Get to know your children's friends
and their parents. Find out if they smoke.
Children of parents who smoke usually have easier access
to cigarettes. Teenagers often smoke their first cigarette
with a friend who already smokes.
• Make sure your children know that
tobacco is addictive. It only takes a short
time for smokers to become addicted to the nicotine
in tobacco. Signs of addiction include craving cigarettes
and feeling nervous when a cigarette isn't available.
Quitting can be difficult and can take several attempts.
• Teach your children about the negative
health effects of tobacco. Cigarette smoke
contains more than 400 toxic chemicals, including cyanide,
formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and benzene. Smokers are
more than 10 times likely to die of lung cancer than
are nonsmokers. Smoking also doubles the risk of heart
disease.
• Help your children cope with peer
pressure. Engage their imagination. For example,
ask your children to describe a scenario — real
or imaginary — in which their peers pressure them
to smoke a cigarette. Rehearse how they can handle this
situation. Have fun with this activity.
• Teach your children about tobacco advertising.
Make it clear that the active lifestyles portrayed in
many cigarette advertisements are actually more true
of nonsmokers.
• Note the social repercussions.
Smoking is no longer socially acceptable. People who
smoke often have bad breath and stained teeth, and their
hair and clothing smell smoky. Smoking causes wrinkles
and accelerates the aging process of your skin. Smoking
often causes a chronic cough.
• Get active in your children's school
and the community. Being involved in your children's
lives is the most important step you can take toward
helping them stay smoke-free. Keep your children active
and involved in positive activities, such as volunteer
work, music, dance and physical fitness.
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* Text Resources: The Mayo Clinic Staff
WARNING:
There is no safe tobacco product. The use of any tobacco
product can cause cancer and other adverse health effects.
This includes all forms of tobacco including cigarettes,
cigars, pipes, and spit tobacco; mentholated, "low-tar,"
"naturally grown," or "additive free."
