The health perils of smoking are known, which is why parents should be vigilant when it comes to preventing their teenagers from ever trying them out. With all the media influence that teenagers get outside the confines of their homes, keeping teens from smoking can be a difficult task. Or is it? Don't despair as there are ways on how to stop teens from smoking.
Who's To Blame For Teen Smoking
One way to stop teens from smoking is to find the root cause. Experts said that when you look at teen smoking trends, you will see the reason why cigarette marketers target teens, specifically those below 18 years old.
According to Dr. Cora Breuner, head of the Committee on Adolescence for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the nicotine receptors of teenagers below 18 are so many that cigarette marketers see them as the lucrative market. These marketers would have to entice kids below 18 to smoke since these nicotine receptors die a natural death as kids age, per US News. If they don't start young, there's a tendency that they don't ever smoke, indicating a reduction on cigarette manufacturers' income.
Although there was a dip in the rate of teen smoking using cigars or cigarettes, the rate of vaping on the other hand increased. There are now a lot of teens using e-cigarettes, believing that it is the healthier option, which according to reports, is certainly not the case. E-cigarette smoking is just as bad as tobacco smoking.
How To Stop Teen Smoking
Parents' role in preventing teen smoking is huge. One way is to be a role model. This means that parents should be non-smokers too. If you have been smoking, try to quit as this will show your teenager the good example that he needs to see at home.
Breuner said that when teens smoke, the best strategy that parents can implement is zero tolerance. Enforcing strong restrictions against smoking is the only way to do it.
Mayo Clinic also suggested that as a parent, you should at least try to reach out to your teenager. Drawing him out can help too.
Now that you have found the root cause to teen smoking and have also learned the ways how to stop teen smoking, you should consider quitting if you have started. Quitting smoking is the best and the most effective way to get teens to quit the bad habit.
