How do we prevent adolescent smoking ?

Children and Smoking

Smoking usually starts at theadolescent level. Namely, there are always kids in school who haveeither tried cigarettes or already smoke actively. Naturally, peerpressure does the rest as other adolescents are forced into tryingcigarettes themselves, not wanting to be a disappointment in the eyesof their peers. However, this craze for cigarettes must have rootssomewhere else. Mainly, it starts at home. Many children first seethe members of their families smoking. Then, logically, they startdesiring to do that themselves, thinking that this act of tobaccoconsumption represents adult behavior and something which isconsidered to be very grown-up to do. On the other hand, smoking cansimply be a matter of rebellion since the adolescents are forbiddento smoke and the persons who disallow them to consume cigarettes aretheir own smoking parents. All in all, there are many reasons behindthe onset of adolescent smoking. Read on to find out more thingsabout this phenomenon.

What Influences the Onset of Smoking inAdolescence?

As mentioned above, peer pressure playsa very important role here. All children desire to be “cool” andnoticed among other “important” children in the class. Sometimes,cigarettes may be the means of getting the attention your adolescentneeds.

The next great factor is related torole modeling. Usually, children of this age, who start smoking, lookup to certain people who have a smoking habit. This could be amusician, a character they have seen on the TV, their own parents oranyone they admire. Therefore, a distinction needs to be made betweenthe smokers and the adolescent and he/she needs to understand thatthis activity is bad and even deadly in the long run.

Communication is the Key

The best possible way for you toapproach your child, once it comes to smoking is to provide supportand information. Surely, this will require you not to smoke, so startfrom yourself. Then, you need to explain all the negative aspects oftobacco or any smoked substance. Finally, you do not need to forbidanything, since this can be quite counter-productive. Rather, youneed to allow your child a choice, but provide all the argumentsagainst smoking beforehand.

Also, taking into consideration thatsmoking is easier to become a part of your adolescent's life ifhe/she is bored often and has nothing constructive to do. Thus,motivate your child to take up some sports or develop interests inother things, preventing him/her from choosing cigarettes thisway.