Public Health and Environment

Tobacco Information For Parents

Teen Smoking Is A Big Deal!

If your child can make it to age 18 without picking up a smoking habit, there's a good chance they will never start.

How To Stop Your Teen From Smoking

• If You Smoke, Stop?
  • Otherwise you send the message that it's ok to smoke. Make sure your kids know how terrible it is to have an unhealthy addiction.
• Discuss Smoking Honestly
  • Answer questions like "What's wrong with smoking" with "It can kill you" or "Once you start it's very hard to stop." If you're asked whether you ever smoked, and you did, say "yes, but that was before I understood the dangers."
• Appeal to Your Child's Vanity
  • Mention the bad breath, stained teeth and fingers, wrinkled skin and smelly clothes.
• Explain That Smoking is More Than a Habit ~ It's An Addiction
  • Teens don't realize how hard it is to stop smoking once they start. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and your body quickly becomes physically dependent on it. Tell them that a lot of adults thought they could stop any time too.
• Expose Advertising Tricks
  • Study cigarette ads with your child and point out how they glamorize the habit.
• Talk Sports
  • If your child is in athletics, talk about how important it is to be in good physical shape. Ask her how she'd feel being out of breath after just a few minutes of play.
• Lay Down The Law
  • Establish a punishment for smoking that has serious consequences for your child, such as taking away the car or not giving an allowance. Do whatever it takes to prevent your child from smoking, or to get them to stop.
• Don't Give Up
  • Even if your child starts smoking, do everything to prevent the transition from initial use to addiction. Enforce a "no smoking rule" in your home. Don't make it easy to smoke.

How To Confront Teen Smoking

The most important thing for you to do is to confront the behavior. Your silence makes teens feel like you don't care about them or the unwanted behavior. You can never go wrong when you share your concern and support with your teen. Stay calm and start talking about what you expect. Their behavior might not change right away but they will get the message about your values and reinforce your love for them.

• Tell your teen that you care about him.
• Tell her exactly what she has done that concerns you.
• Tell your teen how you feel about the way he is acting.
• Listen to your teen's response.
• Acknowledge what your teen has said or acknowledge their feelings. Then tell your teen what you would like to see her do.
• Tell him what you are willing and able to do to help.

(Adapted from Minnesota Institute of Public Health)