Children are our Smoke Free Future

As school gets back in full swing here in the U.S., it's time to focus on kids and their use of tobacco. While *you* may already be a smoker, there's plenty you can do to help keep your kids from trying cigarettes. Most smokers start in their teenage years, so early prevention is the key to giving children a smoke-free life.

The following information comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Parents-Help Keep Your Kids Tobacco-Free. Know the Facts About Youth and Tobacco Use.

Kids who use tobacco may:

++ Cough and have asthma attacks more often and develop respiratory problems leading to more sick days, more doctor bills, and poorer athletic performance.

++ Be more likely to use alcohol and other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.

++ Become addicted to tobacco and find it extremely hard to quit.

** Spit tobacco and cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes; low-tar and additive-free cigarettes are not safe either.

** Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States causing heart disease, cancers, and strokes.

Take a Stand at Home-Early and Often

** Despite the impact of movies, music, and TV, parents can be the GREATEST INFLUENCE in their kids' lives.

** Talk directly to children about the risks of tobacco use; if friends or relatives died from tobacco-related illnesses, let your kids know.

** If you use tobacco, you can still make a difference. Your best move, of course, is to try to quit.

Meanwhile, don't use tobacco in your children's presence, don't offer it to them, and don't leave it where they can easily get it.

** Start the dialog about tobacco use at age 5 or 6 and continue through their high school years. Many kids start using tobacco by age 11, and many are addicted by age 14.

** Know if your kids' friends use tobacco. Talk about ways to refuse tobacco.

** Discuss with kids the false glamorization of tobacco on billboards, and other media, such as movies, TV, and magazines.

Make a Difference in Your Community

** Vote with your pocketbook. Support businesses that don't sell tobacco to kids. Frequent restaurants and other places that are tobacco-free.

** Be sure your schools and all school events (i.e. parties, sporting events, etc.) are tobacco-free.

** Partner with your local tobacco prevention programs. Call your local health department or your cancer, heart, or lung association to learn how you can get involved.

Here's another quick fact sheet from the CDC that can help to influence kids:

What You(th) Should Know About Tobacco

Tobacco and Athletic Performance

** Don't get trapped. Nicotine in cigarettes, cigars, and spit tobacco is addictive.
** Nicotine narrows your blood vessels and puts added strain on your heart.
** Smoking can wreck lungs and reduce oxygen available for muscles used during sports.
** Smokers suffer shortness of breath (gasp!) almost 3 times more often than nonsmokers.
** Smokers run slower and can't run as far, affecting overall athletic performance.
** Cigars and spit tobacco are NOT safe alternatives.

Tobacco and Personal Appearance

** Yuck! Tobacco smoke can make hair and clothes stink. Tobacco stains teeth and causes bad breath.
** Short-term use of spit tobacco can cause cracked lips, white spots, sores, and bleeding in the mouth.
** Surgery to remove oral cancers caused by tobacco use can lead to serious changes in the face. Sean

Marcee, a high school star athlete who used spit tobacco, died of oral cancer when
he was 19 years old.

SO . . .

** Know the truth. Despite all the tobacco use on TV and in movies, music videos, billboards and magazines---most teens, adults, and athletes DON'T use tobacco.

** Make friends, develop athletic skills, control weight, be independent, be cool..... play sports.
** Don't waste (burn) money on tobacco. Spend it on CD's, clothes, computer games, and movies.

Get involved: make your team, school, and home tobacco-free; teach others; join community efforts to prevent tobacco use.

Parents, get involved with your children's lives! Help them to avoid the mistake you made when you first starting smoking. Talk openly and frankly about smoking and its effects. Share this information with them and their friends so that your kids won't have to subscribe to The Quit Smoking Report too!

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** Article © Copyright Fred Kelley of QuitSmoking.com. Visit the web site at http://www.quitsmoking.com
for great information and products designed to help you quit smoking.