Teen Smoking

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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!
Many teens start smoking because they have friends or older siblings who smoke. Some teens look at smoking as a way to get through difficult social situations. Smoking gives them something to do with their hands and makes them feel older or more sophisticated. Some teens smoke because they feel they look too young and that smoking may make them appear more like an adult. Some teens - especially young women - think smoking is a way to keep their weight under control. She might think that if she has a cigarette in her hand, she's a lot less likely to eat. Others believe that a cigarette helps them relax when they're stressed out because of schoolwork, dating problems, or family pressures. Teens often start smoking because one or both parents smo...

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