3. What is a Cigarette?
■ “A thin cylinder of finely cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking…”
■ 599 additives and 4000 chemicals used throughout the burning process
■ Nicotine, an addictive additive, is most notorious for tobacco addiction
■ The tobacco smoke from a cigarette is inhaled by the user
4. Why Are CigarettesAddictive?
■ Physiological
– The active drug in cigarettes is the chemical, “nicotine” which is highly addictive
– The body becomes physiologically addicted to the nicotine as well as to other
additives in the cigarette
■ Psychological
– Psychological dependence occurs after repeated use
– The body finds stress relief while smoking
– Habits and associations are formed; i.e. smoking while using the bathroom, drinking
coffee, driving
■ Sociological
– Smoking often begins and is ingrained with peer pressure
– Smoking can begin with dissatisfaction in life
– Associations and commonalities are formed while smoking; smoking turns into a
social occasion
6. DoTeens Still Smoke?
■ In 1975, 29% of 12th graders smoked on a daily basis
■ In 2014, 24.6% of teens used tobacco products
■ In 2014, 9.2% of teens used cigarettes
7. Social and Physical Environmental Factors
■ Mass media guides public perception on smoking; teens will look to the
media to see cultural and societal norms
■ Teens are more likely to use tobacco if their peers do
■ High School athletes are more likely to smoke
■ Parents influence smoking habits or lack thereof
■ Low income citizens are more likely to smoke
8. Biological, Genetic, and Mental Factors
■ Teens can become more dependent on nicotine and at quicker rates
– Youth under 14 are extraordinarily reliant on
– Both teens and adolescents will rate and show signs of reliance that is much higher
than adults
■ Teens can be predisposed to addiction and/or have poor decision making depending
on how they were raised
■ A mother can begin a reliance on nicotine starting at the womb; this may become
activated (spontaneous recovery) later on in life
■ There is a high correlation between youth, and mental disabilities, as well as stress
■ If a teen sees a positive outcome from cigarette usage, they are more likely to smoke
9. How to ReduceTeenTobacco Usage
■ Increase cost for tobacco
■ Prohibiting smoking from public places which causes inconvenience
■ Raising the minimum age to purchase to 21 years old
■ Advertising against cigarette usage
■ Community program and school policies that encourage healthy living
■ Positive social environments reduce smoking significantly
– Religious participation
– Ethnic pride and racial identity
– Higher academic achievements and aspirations
■ Traditional methods for smoking cessation, coped with an emphasis on education and
therapy will help teen users quit
