In 2010
We've taken the
Drug Free message
to over 26932 teens
In 2010
We've taken the
Drug Free message
to over 26932 teens
Tips for Teens:
Slang : cigarettes, smokes, durries, butts, cigars
Tobacco damages you health. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Smoking is also a leading cause of cancer of the moth, throat, bladder, pancreas, and kidney.
Tobacco affects your body's development Smoking is particularly harmful for teens because your body is still growing and changing. The 400 known poisons in cigarette smoke affect your normal development and can cause life−threatening diseases, such as chronic bronchitis, heard disease, and stroke.
Tobacco is addictive. Cigarettes contain nicotine − a powerfully addictive substance. Three−quarters of young people who use tobacco daily continue to do so because they find it hard to quit.
Tobacco can kill you. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in this country
Know the law. It is illegal for anyone under 16 to buy cigarettes, or tobacco−related products.
Stay informed.Addiction to tobacco is hard to control. More than 90 percent of teens who use tobacco daily experince at least onen symptom of withdrawal when the try to quit
Keep your edge. The poisons in cigarettes can affect you appearance. Smoking can dry your skin out and cause wrinkles. Some research even relates smoking to premature gray hair and hair loss.
Be aware. It can be hard to paly sports if you use tobacco. Smoking causes shortness of breath and dizziness, and chewing tobacco causes dehydration
Think of others. Smoking puyts the health of your friends and family at risk. Approximately 3000 non−smokers die of lung cancer each year from breathing other people smoke.
Get the facts. Each day more than 3,000 people under age 18 become regular smokers. That's more than 1 million teens per year. Roughly one−third of them will eventually die from a tobacco−related disease.
Look around you. Even though a lot of teens use tobacco, most don't. According to a 1998 study, less than 20 percent of teens are regular smokers. In fact, 64 percent of 12 to 17 year−olds have never even tried a cigarette.
How can you tell if a friend is using tobacco? Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following signs, he or she may be regularly using tobacco:
The bottom line : If you know someone who is using tobacco, urge him or her to quit. If you are using it−stop! The longer you ignore the real facts, the more chances you take with your health and well−being.
It's never too late. Talk to your parents, a doctor, a counsellor, a teacher, or another adult you trust.
Do it today!