Most parents - even those who themselves smoke - do not want their children to do so. However, many moms and dads underestimate the significance of the role they play in crafting their child’s opinion of cigarette smoking. The bottom line is, what parents do and say about smoking profoundly affects their children’s thoughts on the issue.
Young Teens at Greatest Risk
The vast majority of smokers take their first few puffs as children or young teens. The average starting age is between 13 and 14.
A recent study reported in Tobacco Control, published by the British Medical Journal group, surprised researchers by showing that teens become hooked on tobacco much faster than previously believed - often after smoking only a few cigarettes.i
Until results of this study were reviewed, researchers believed that nicotine addiction took place gradually over time. Forty percent of the 332 Grade 7 students who said they had tried smoking reported symptoms of addiction. For reasons that remain unclear, girls appear to become hooked on nicotine much earlier than boys. The teenage girls in the study took an average of only three weeks to become hooked, while half of the teenage boys were hooked within six months. Some young people became addicted in a few days.
Of great significance is the fact that adolescents showing signs of being hooked were smoking an average of only two cigarettes a week. Many appeared to be addicted well in advance of smoking on a daily basis. Dr. Joseph DiFranza, lead author of the study, and professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, speculates that teens may be more vulnerable to nicotine dependence than adults because the brain is still developing during adolescence.
The Power of Talk
A US study of school children in Grades 7 to 12 showed that teens and pre-teens listen to their parents’ concerns (even when they pretend not to), and tend to follow their advice. When non-smoking parents voiced their disapproval of smoking, 69 percent of their children never smoked. This percentage dropped to 53 when the parents did not speak out. In families where the parents smoked, 55 percent of children never started smoking when the parents voiced their disapproval. This figure dropped dramatically to 24 percent when the parents failed to share their concerns.ii
The earlier you start reinforcing the “Smoking is bad for you” message to your child, the better. A young child can easily grasp the message that smoking cigarettes can hurt your lungs. For tips on helping your children reject smoking, you may wish to visit the BC Ministry of Health website, www.tobaccofacts.org.
If Your Child Already Smokes
If your child is showing symptoms of being addicted to tobacco, your London Drugs pharmacist can help you develop a smoking cessation program tailored to his or her specific situation and needs. If you have an older child, he or she may want to schedule a one-on-one appointment. The pharmacist will be able to suggest ways of breaking the smoking habit, and recommend specific smoking cessation aids such as Nicorette® gum. Please call your local store to set up an appointment.
i Joseph DiFranza, Judy Savageau, Kenneth Fletcher, Judy Ockene, Nancy Rigotti, Ann McNeill, Mardi Coleman and Connie Wood. The Development of Symptoms of Tobacco Dependence in Youths: 30-Month Follow-Up Data from the DANDY Study. Tobacco Control, 2002 11:228-235. ii Newman, Ian M.,Ward, Jolene M., The Influence of Parental Attitude and Behaviour on Early Adolescent Cigarette Smoking. Journal of School Health, Vol, 59., No. 4, 1989.
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