Parent Resource Center

According to the 2006 Monitoring the Future study11. Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2006). Monitoring the Future National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings, 2006. (NIH Publication No. 07-6206). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse., the number of kids who smoke cigarettes is on the decline. However, over one in five high school seniors reported smoking in the past 30 days.

If you think your child is too young to try smoking, think again. Sixteen percent of high school students report that they smoked a cigarette before age 13.22. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results. Elementary school is not too early to talk to your child about not smoking or to even have conversations on an ongoing basis. If your child is 15 and doesn't smoke, the discussions shouldn't stop--she's still at risk.

If you can prevent teens from smoking in high school, chances are greater that they won't smoke as adults. In a 2003 national survey, about three-quarters of first-time smokers were under 18.33. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2004). Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H-25, DHHS Publication No. SMA 04-3964). Rockville, MD.

Even though smoking numbers are down since their latest peak in 1997, the chart above shows that in 2006, over 8 percent of 8th graders, 14 percent of 10th graders and 21 percent of 12th graders had smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days. And that’s too many. We hope you’ll agree that the time is now to talk to your kids to help prevent them from smoking cigarettes.

Your child's health is at risk

Why should you have a conversation about not smoking with your child? Here are some important points from the public health community:

Addiction

• The younger people are when they start smoking, the more likely they are to develop a long term addiction.44. 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: US Government Printing Office.
• 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

Short-term effects

Teens and preteens who smoke:77. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2004). The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta , GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health.

• Are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses.
• experience shortness of breath more often than those who don't.88. Mokdad , A.H., Marks, J.S., Stroup, D.F., Gerberding, J.L.. (2004). Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA, 291, 1238 - 44.
• May have impaired lung growth and function.

Long-term effects

• It has been estimated that more Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses than from alcohol, car accidents, HIV/AIDS, firearms and illegal drugs combined.99. Mokdad , A.H., Marks, J.S., Stroup, D.F., Gerberding, J.L.. (2004). Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA, 291, 1238 - 44.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and most cases are caused by cigarette smoking. Smoking is a major cause of heart disease, emphysema and stroke, and increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease.1010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2004). The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta , GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health.
• The CDC estimates that between 1995 and 1999, cigarettes took approximately 14 years off an adult smoker’s life.1111. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002). Annual smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and economic costs — United States, 1995-1999. MMWR, 51(14), 300-3.
• Secondhand smoke contains 69 chemicals that are known to cause cancer.1212. American Lung Association. (November 2004) Smoking 101 Fact Sheet. Retrieved August 11, 2005 from: http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/s/content.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=34706&ct=66713.
• Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country.1313. National Center for Health Statistics. (2004) Health, United States, 2004.

Additional Resources

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

Changing Adolescent Smoking Prevalence
National Cancer Institute

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Text in this section from: Raising kids who don't smoke (2005)

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