{"id":8503,"date":"2019-04-25T08:30:32","date_gmt":"2019-04-25T12:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/?p=8503"},"modified":"2019-05-13T09:04:34","modified_gmt":"2019-05-13T13:04:34","slug":"how-to-keep-kids-and-teens-from-smoking-and-vaping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/health-maintenance\/how-to-keep-kids-and-teens-from-smoking-and-vaping\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep Kids and Teens from Smoking and Vaping"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Teen<\/h1>\n<\/header>\n
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It\u2019s a burning question for parents and public health officials alike: How do you keep a new generation from starting to smoke?<\/p>\n

We already know some strategies that have worked. Public health campaigns aimed at young people and consistent reinforcement from parents help keep them from striking up the dangerous habit.<\/p>\n

But first, a basic question: Why? Why is it so vital that we continue to discourage America\u2019s youth from using tobacco?<\/p>\n

Four facts to know.<\/h2>\n
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  1. Kids are still smoking.<\/strong>\u00a0Every day in America, more than 3,200 teenagers smoke their first cigarette, and an additional 2,100 youths and young adults become daily cigarette smokers.<\/li>\n
  2. Smoking is dangerous.\u00a0<\/strong>According to the surgeon general, 5.6 million Americans younger than 18 today will die early from smoking-related diseases.<\/li>\n
  3. Most smokers start young.<\/strong>\u00a0If young people don\u2019t start using tobacco by age 26, they almost certainly will never start.<\/li>\n
  4. It\u2019s not just cigarettes.\u00a0<\/strong>Kids today are exposed to cigars, cigarillos, e-cigarettes (vaping<\/a>and juuling), hookah (water pipe) and smokeless tobacco (snuff, chew and dissolvable tobacco). Several of these forms of tobacco are \u201cflavored,\u201d increasing their appeal to young people.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What\u2019s working.<\/h2>\n

    Tobacco companies are targeting young people with ads, price discounts and enticing new products such as e-cigs designed to look like sleek gadgets. Many teens and young adults exposed to these efforts are highly impressionable and dealing with social pressures to \u201cfit in\u201d with peers.<\/p>\n

    Here are some approaches that have worked to counteract those forces:<\/h3>\n