Teens And Smoking Essay

Teens And Smoking Essay
Teens and Smoking
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is of interest to the National Institute on Drug Abuse both because of the public health problems associated with this form of
substance abuse and because this behavior represents a prototypic dependence process. In the past few years the government has made every effort to
reach the masses, in an attempt to curb the exploitation of tobbacco use, and its acceptance among
Americas Youngsters. However,cigarette smoking among adolescents is on the rise. The premise that the behavior of adolescents is influenced by the
behavior of their parents is central to many considerations of health and social behavior
(Ausubel, Montemayor, & Svajiian, 1977; Bandura & Walters, 1963). Many young...show more content...
Yet, even though teenagers sometimes smoke to gain independence, and to be part of the crowdparental influence plays the strongest role as to whether
or their children will smoke, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), 1991.
Children are exposed to and influenced by the parents, siblings, and the media long before peer pressure will become a factor. Mothers should not
smoke during pregnancy, nicotine, which crosses the placental barrier, may affect the female fetus during an important period of development so as to
predispose the brain to the addictive influence of nicotine. Prenatal exposure to smoking has previously been linked with impairments in memory,
learning, cognition, and perception in the growing child. (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 1995)
Subsequent follow–up after 12 years suggest that regardless of the amount or duration of current or past maternal smoking, the strongest correlation
between maternal smoking and a daughter's smoking occurred when the mother smoked during pregnancy. NIDA also reported that of 192 mothers
and their first born adolescents with a mean age of 12 1/2, the analysis revealed that 26.6% of the girls whose mother smoked while pregnant had
smoked in the past year.
The 1991 smoking prevalence estimate of 25.7% is virtually no different from the previous year's estimate of 25.5%. If current trends persist, we will
not meet
one

Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Teen Smoking Essay
Tobacco Advertising and its dangerous effects on young people.
Tobacco Advertising Makes Young People Their Chief Target
Everyday 3,000 children start smoking, most them between the ages of 10 and 18.
These kids account for 90 percent of all new smokers. In fact, 90 percent of all adult smokers said that they first lit up as teenagers (Roberts). These
statistics clearly show that young people are the prime target in the tobacco wars. The cigarette manufacturers may deny it, but advertising and
promotion play a vital part in making these facts a reality (Roberts).
The kings of these media ploys are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a fictional western character called The...show more content...
Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who states " If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the
tobacco companies will be in trouble and they know it "(Roberts). So what do the tobacco companies do to keep their industry alive and well?
Seemingly, they go toward a market that is not fully aware of the harm that cigarettes are capable of.
U.S. News recently featured a discussion of the smoking issue with 20 teenagers from suburban Baltimore. The group consisted of ten boys and ten
girls between the ages of 15 and 17. When asked why they started smoking, they gave two contradictory reasons: They wanted to be a part of a peer
group. They also wanted to reach out and rebel at the same time. " When you party, 75 to 90 percent of the kids are smoking. It makes you feel
like you belong," says Devon
Harris, a senior at Woodlawn High. Teens also think of smoking as a sign of independence. The more authority figures tell them not to smoke, the more
likely they are to pick up the habit (Roberts). The surprising thing is that these kids know that they are being influenced by cigarette advertising.
If these kids know that this advertising is manipulating them, why do they still keep smoking? The ads are everywhere, especially in teen–oriented
magazines,

Essay On Teen Smoking
"I knew that smoking was bad... I didn't think I would have a premature baby," said Amanda. "I couldn't hold her much in those first weeks. It's time I'll
never get back. Smoking took that from me." 2 This woman describes the hardship that she went through while pregnant and giving birth. Amanda, like
many others, was addicted to smoking throughout her college career and early in her pregnancy. Her baby was born 2 months early and was forced to
spend weeks in an incubator.2 This personal experience illustrates the emotional, mental and physical stresses that are associated with cigarette
smoking. From a data standpoint, Amanda represents 1 out of the 36.5 million people over the age of 18 in the U.S. that are currently smoking.1 This
anecdote helps to understand some of the issues associated with cigarette smoking from an individual perspective and why many are trapped in the
deadly habit. This paper will begin by looking at the prevalence and demographics of adult cigarette smoking in the U.S to help understand the
magnitude of the issue. It will then examine the problems and vulnerabilities associated with smoking by outlining public health issues and then
suggest possible solutions that have worked in different settings. Finally, this paper will discuss the implementation of the intervention by deploying
the three levels of the social ecological model.
First, to understand the issue of adult cigarette smoking in the U.S, we must investigate the causes and prevalence.

Essay on The Use of Tobacco by Teens
Teenage smoking can be a result of the influence of other teens, or maybe the amount of peer pressure. This can cause a teen to want to smoke or even
think about smoking (Alcid, Arthur, page 1). Statistics show that 794 student and 22.4 percent of teens claimed to be tobacco users. (Alcid, Arthur,
page 1). Teens tend to be more abrasive whensmoking, and seem to act different while smoking and once they have gotten into the habit of smoking
make it a constant thing. In 2003, 21.9 percent of high school students currently smoke cigarettes (Alcid, Arthur, page 1).
Nowadays students are not only being pressured to smoke by their peers and by their surrounding, but they are also watching their parents smoke. Many
teens have been influenced by...show more content...
They pressured her unto believing that smoking was cool and that she would fit in by smoking and that smoking with her friends would bring them
closer and would enhance their friendship. (Mentor, October, 2011). Ms. Jeanette says that when she started smoking she would often cravings during
the day and while in school and would always think about the different ways to where she could go smoke a cigarette. She says that smoking would
ease her mind and made her feel calm and at ease like it was her escape to other things. (Mentor, October, 2011). As a teen her parents did smoke
and she says that also influenced her as a teen and made her want to smoke as well. (Mentor, October, 2011). She says that as she began to become
her own person as she grew older she then realized that smoking was not cool, and she should not have done it. She still does not realize how
smoking makes her fit in and made her and her friends closer. (Mentor, October, 2011).
Now that Ms. Jeanette is older and wiser she states that smoking is not good for anyone and especially not as a teen because more than likely if one
smokes as a teen you will continue to smoke as an adult, and it can cause one long term problems as an adult and you could develop different kinds
of cancers and different issues concerning one's body and a person defiantly does not want that on your back. (Mentor, October, 2011). She also stated
that now that she has a daughter, she does not want her to be influenced by what

Teen Smoking Essay
One of the largest issues today is adolescent smoking. According to a heath based website, nearly 90% of adult smokers start while they are still teens
and they never intend to get hooked. They may start by bumming a cigarette or two from a friend at a party, and then go on to buying an occasional
pack. Soon they realize that they can't go without that pack. They've gotten used to reaching for a cigarette first thing in the morning, after meals, or
during any stressful time. They become addicted, both physically and psychologically. According to the American Lung Association, each day 6,000
children under the age of 18 smoke their first cigarette. Almost 2,000 of them will become regular smokers – that's 757, 000 new smokers annually!
...show more content...
These teens may think that smoking shows that they are old enough to make their own decisions.
To make matters worse, the tobacco companies are making millions from teen smokers. Tobacco companies use advertising to manipulate both teens
and adults. They present images that are hard to shake, even when you know the truth. Have you ever seen a cigarette ad where people are wrinkled,
middle–aged or coughing and in the hospital dying of lung cancer? Of course not! In most ads, smokers are shown the way that teens would like to be:
attractive and hip, sophisticated and elegant, or rebellious.
A 2002 study performed by the Research Triangle Institute states that the tobacco companies make 1.8 billion dollars annually from underage sales.
It is interesting that they are making such large profits when it is illegal for a person under the age of 18 to purchase cigarettes. A recent survey by
the The American Lung Association indicated that among students under 18 years old who were current smokers, 69.4% reported never being asked
for proof of age when buying cigarettes in a store, and 62.4% were not refused purchase because of their age.
The tobacco industry kills more people in North America from Monday to Thursday of each week than the terrorists murdered in total on September
11, 2001. That sounds unrealistic, doesn't it? Well, smoking is an epidemic that affects us all, whether you are a smoker or you aren't. In order to stop
this epidemic, we need to

Essay On Teenage Smoking
Smoking has become a habit most Americans have acquired. Peer pressure has pushed teens to smoking. Advertising has convinced some people
smoking is good for our body. Many people feel stressed and use smoking to feel good. I believed all these causes are why most people smoke today.
Peer pressure has pushed teens to smoking. We all know how peer pressure can influence our youth today. It can be hard to go against the crowd and
just do what we want. We, as teenagers, want to look cool to other people, so we say why not. At that moment we have exposed ourselves to a bad
future as a result. It only takes nicotine a few seconds to reach the mind of humans, and from there a person is hooked. Most smokers start at an
early age, and it is a bad habit to stop in the end. This is why we should stay away from drugs. As a result, we can have a better future and a longer
life. We fail to realize that we are only harming ourselves. People who tend not to smoke tend to live better. Smokers are more likely to get cancer
than a nonsmoker. We should remind ourselves who we are and not let peer pressure influence us. The future of the world could be at stake, and
one's future too. Advertising has convinced some people smoking is good for our body. Television can be such a very dangerous tool to our minds.
The companies know people love to see other people smoking, so they fixed it up to be good for people. They get famous people to endorse their
products, but leave out all the other

Teenage Smoking Satire
Teen Smoking
In the past few years teen smoking has lowered but is still a risk. Most of the teens like to smoke to show that they are cool. If they do smoke,
wherever parents aren't they might be smoking a cigarette. The main problem with teen smoking is that it is bad for them but addicting as well. They
get addicted and then they can't stop smoking. The chemicals in it, the addiction, and lung disease will kill teens if no one does anything about it.
The chemicals are horrible in cigarettes. According to The Real Cost there is rat poison, lead, bleach, and many other harmful chemicals. The number
of toxins in cigarettes is 7851. Why would anyone put that in there body. It is insane, smoking may kill up to 6 million people who smoked as a teen
in 2030. Imagine dying at 32 because you smoked. It would not be fun....show more content...
They have nicotine gum that still gives the rush of a cigarette but isn't even close to as bad for you. The worst kind of addiction is tobacco addiction.
Lung cancer is downright horrible for you, cigarettes are the main cause for lung cancer. Do you want cancer, bet not cancer kills a lot of people year
round (approximately 3.3 million on average). Don't be one, dont be a fool, dont SMOKE.
There are lot of bad things about smoking,but here are the most interesting facts about teen smoking. Alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs,
and fire (combined) have killed just over half of the teens tobacco has. Teen smoking has killed a total of 52.3 million people worldwide. 4 americans
have literally melted their esophagus because of

Teenage Smoking Essay
Teenage Smoking
When I went to visit my grandmother in the hospital, she was critically ill. I heard the doctor say that she would have a much better chance of
survival if she had not been a smoker most of her life. I made the decision then that I would not smoke. Every day more than 3,000 teenagers become
regular smokers. That number translates to more than 1 million teenagers a year. About one third of them will eventually die from atobacco–related
disease. Cigarettes kill more than 400,000 Americans every year. A person who smokes a pack or more of cigarettes each day will live about seven
fewer years than a nonsmoker. Further,smoking hurts young people's physical performance and endurance. Smoking in young people can...show more
content...
Another cause of the increase in smoking among teenagers is the fact that teens are made to believe that smoking is cool. Our teenage years are a
time when we are unsure of ourselves and have a great deal of peer pressure put on us to fit in. The tobacco industry knows this, and bombard teens
with advertisements and billboards that encourage smoking. These advertisements and billboards illustrate that if we smoke we will fit in and have
more friends. Cigarette advertisers also try to demonstrate that women who smoke are sexy, men are manly, and that smokers have fun and lots of
friends. In order to counter all this false advertising, there should be an promotional campaign that portrays the disgusting aspects of smoking. The
advertising should show a cigarette hanging out of a woman's mouth and describe how repugnant the woman smells from the cigarette smoke. Another
solution would be to ban all cigarette smoking in movies so that teens are not given the message that if they want to look like a movie star, smoke.
Furthermore, cigarettes are easily accessible to teens, and so it is the parents' duty to talk to their children and set an example. Parents who are
involved and show interest in their teen's life can help to prevent the teen from smoking. Teens who are not close to a parent are at a greater risk to
succumb to peer pressure. They may feel that they have no one to talk to

Teenage Smoking
Teenage Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a habit that kills approximately million of people per year. It is surprisingly being picked up by countless amounts of children
every day. Smoking becomes a growing trend in the youth community. The number of young smokers has been increasing in most American middle
schools and high schools. Both girls and boys are smoking because they think it is cool. Many of them will take this their trend and carry it for their
adulthood. The four reasons that cause many teenagers to start smoking are peer–pressure, image projection, rebellion, and adult aspirations.
Approximately 3,000 teenagers pick up the smoking habit each day in America. That is roughly one million new teenage smokers per year. The...show
more content...
Stickiness is primarily a property of the message. Smoking contains these factors, whether a teen picks up the habit depends on whether he or she has
contact with a Salesman who gives the teen "permission" to smoke. But whether or not a teenager likes cigarettes enough to keep using them depends
on various factors. A study performed by the University of Michigan polled a large group of people about how they felt when they smoked their first
cigarette. According to Ovide Pomerleau, one of the researchers, almost everyone in their initial experience with tobacco was somewhat averse. But
what separates smokers to be from never again smokers is the smoker to be felt a pleasurable experience or "buzz" from smoking tobacco. Of the
people who experimented with cigarettes only a few times and never smoked again, only about one–fourth received any king of "buzz" from their first
cigarette. One–third of ex–smokers, who smoked but later quit, felt the "buzz" while they smoked their first cigarette. Half of all light smokers felt the
"buzz" and seventy–eight percent of heavy smokers got a "buzz" from their first cigarette. The initial reaction of how a person reacts to nicotine will
determine how sticky smoking ends up being to any single person. Why has there been such an increase in the number of smoking young people?
There are several causes for this trend. First, it is the peer pressure. Group acceptance is one of the reasons that cause many teenagers to start

Cause Of Teenage Smoking
Decline in Teen Smoking Rates Highlights Importance of Intervention
Every teen may be too eager to become an adult since they know that it will allow them to have more freedom to do things on their own and to make
their own decisions without the need for anyone's approval. However, some teens may not feel like waiting for too long. Hence, some would do
activities that would make them feel and look like adults. This is just one of the many reasons why teens choose to smoke at a young age.
Notwithstanding the risks that smoking can do to their health, it can be an exhilarating experience for them to puff on that stick which they often see
from other adults.
What's on a stick?
For the very health conscious individual, they may not be able to comprehend why smoking gives an extraordinary feeling since it is just like puffing
smoke and slowly burning their health. However, researchers found out that more than just wanting to try smoking, there are other factors that push a
teen to start smoking.
Basically, a teen who considers smoking may be caused by wanting to look mature, to do the same things as what their friends are doing and to
experiment. Adults may have other reasons for smoking in which they want it to keep them more relaxed when they are stressed or if they are going
through some difficulties in life that puffing away their sorrows may somehow help them to calm down and make them achieve a 'feel good" sensation.
But, no matter what their reasons are, smoking can do

Teens And Smoking Essay

More Related Content

Similar to Teens And Smoking Essay

More from College Papers Help Melrose Park

Recently uploaded

Teens And Smoking Essay