Smoking and Youth (original) (raw)

Also called: Teen smoking

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Summary

Smoking cigarettes has many health risks for everyone. However, the younger you are when you start smoking, the more problems it can cause. People who start smoking before the age of 21 have the hardest time quitting. Teens who smoke are also more likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs.

The problem is not just cigarettes. Spit tobacco, e-cigarettes, and cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes. Low-tar and additive-free tobacco products are not safe either.

Young people who do not start using tobacco by age 18 will most likely never start.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Cigarette Smoking (Boston Children's Hospital) Also in Spanish

• Kids and Smoking (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

• Know the Risks (National Cancer Institute, Tobacco Control Research Branch)

• Path to Smoking Addiction Starts at Very Young Ages (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) - PDF

• Tobacco Harm to Kids (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) - PDF

• Youth and Tobacco Use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Smoking and Youth (National Institutes of Health)

• How Lungs Work (American Lung Association)