What Young People Need To Know About Tobacco
Tobacco companies spend billions of dollars in advertising trying to get children and young people to start smoking. Their ads try to make you think that smoking is appealing and the “in” thing to do. Smoking is glamorized on TV and in movies to make you think that it is less dangerous.
Despite what tobacco companies want you to think, smoking is incredibly dangerous and hazardous to your health. It will make your hair and clothes stink, as well as cause bad breath and stain your teeth. Tobacco use will negatively impact your ability to play sports as it will reduce your lung capacity, making it harder to breath.
Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products puts you at increased risk of developing lung, mouth, and other types of cancers. These risks increase drastically the longer you continue to smoke. If you develop mouth cancer as from tobacco use, the surgery to remove the cancer can leave permanent scars on your face.
If you are a current smoker, the best thing you can do for your health is quit smoking. The health benefits begin almost immediately. Also, quitting smoking will allow you to spend time and money on other activities that you could not when you were smoking cigarettes.
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Youth Tobacco Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fact sheet for youth