“Smoking is dangerous to your health.” A very famous anti-smoking ad that is often neglected by smoking teenagers. Such problems may arise, especially when dealing with out of control teenagers. And this is where a parent’s dilemma starts.
As a parent of a smoking teenager, you might have no idea why your teen starts to smoke. And the first question that might cross your mind is how can I ask my teen to quit? Before you can do this, it’s important to understand a few things first.
Why Do Teenagers Start Smoking?
Peer pressure is one of the most common reasons why teenagers smoke. If one of their friends has started, they think they have to smoke also. They do this to maintain acceptance and the sense of belonging to a group.
Another reason for smoking teenagers is image projection. An “image” is attached to cigarettes like being cool, manly or grown up. Adolescence is the time when teens struggle for identity. If teens want to have one of these images, then smoking maybe the answer they’re looking for.
Problems at home may put a lot of pressure on your kids. And they use smoking as a form of relief for the stress. For many out of control teenagers, this is a result of rebellion. Knowing that this will annoy their parents and because it is forbidden, it becomes more alluring to them.
Teens like to act as if they’re dangerous or mature. By smoking, they can act on those feeling. They might just want to try it the first time but as we all know, once you puff, it is hard to stop. This is because nicotine is present, which is highly addictive but ignored by many teens and adults alike.
Consequences of a Nicotine Habit
Smoking is a hard habit to break. Along with it, you can acquire harmful effects to your health. If you smoke, you can also end up with bad skin. Substances like nicotine block blood vessels that prevent nutrients from reaching the skin, which in turn causes premature aging.
Adolescents are very much concerned with their appearance and personal hygiene. Reminding them that cigarettes leave smokers with persistent bad breath might turn them away from smoking. And the stale smell of the smoke often lingers in their hair and clothing, which is extremely unappealing to others that don’t take up this nasty habit.
There is also an increased risk of illness. And to top it off, smoking teenagers may experience a greater risk for injury and a slower healing process. As a parent, you might want to discuss these consequences with your son or daughter. Understanding more about this harmful habit may lead you to a more informative conversation with your teen.