Reality Check: Social Smoking IS a Big Deal

A “social smoker” is basically defined as being someone who doesn’t smoke every day. A social smoker may smoke a few cigarettes on night, then not smoke for days or weeks afterwards. This belief that social smoking is somehow safer than being a regular smoker is a dangerous perception among our youth. Teenagers think that a few cigarettes are harmless as long as they don’t smoke cigarettes every single day. Let’s talk about social smoking and how even an occasional cigarette can be damaging to your health and future.

Reasons Why People Smoke Socially

If you don’t consider yourself to be a “regular smoker,” then why even smoke at all? Here are some reasons why some people may decide to indulge in the occasional cigarette.

·         They believe that if they only smoke occasionally, they won’t become addicted.

·         They believe that the health risks involved with smoking only applies to “regular smokers.”

·         They give into peer pressure and want to fit in with the rest of the crowd.

·         Drinking alcohol produces an urge for some people to smoke, so they choose to limit themselves to smoking cigarettes only when they drink alcohol.

It’s time for social smokers to get the reality check that they need. Smoking, regardless of how often, is dangerous to your health. Let’s talk about the reality behind each of these reasons for social smoking.

Social Smoking Isn’t Addictive

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, those that participate in social smoking are highly likely to become addicted. Nicotine is one of the most highly addictive drugs of our society. You may think that you have control over your cigarette habit, but it is only a matter of time before you lose all control and buying cigarettes becomes a routine part of your day. When that day comes, you will regret the day that you ever picked up your first cigarette.

Social Smoking is Harmless to Your Health

Even if you are smoking “every now and then” you are still subject to physical consequences.

·         You are still exposed to the chemicals such as arsenic, lead and mercury.

·         It only takes one cigarette to experience a spike in blood pressure.

·         Simply being exposed to 30 minutes of secondhand smoke can cause heart damage similar to that of an everyday smoker.

·         Social smoking puts you just as much at risk of developing lung and/or other cancers as daily smoking.

Social Smoking is Cool – Everyone is Doing It

This perception is very common among teenagers and young adults and is sometimes hard to argue with when it is so common among our youth. The best way to argue this point is to explain some of the reasons why smoking is NOT COOL.

·         Is it cool to have yellow teeth?

·         Is it cool for people to avoid you because your clothes reek of cigarette smoke?

·         Is it cool for the inside of your mouth to smell like an ashtray?

·         Is it cool to hack up phlegm on a first date to the movies?

My advice is this: Talk to your friends who DON’T smoke – chances are, they can tell you how UNCOOL smoking really is.

I Only Smoke When I Drink

This is a way for social smokers to convince themselves that they aren’t addicted, but the reality of it is – if you crave a cigarette for ANY reason, you are indeed addicted. It’s as simple as that.

It’s time for the social smokers of the world to face reality – you are putting your life at risk with each cigarette that you smoke, regardless of how often it occurs. Start today and let your last cigarette be just that – YOUR LAST CIGARETTE.

The Walton County Prevention Coalition is dedicated to fighting against substance abuse issues in our youth. Smoking tobacco is a huge pressure for teenagers and young adults in today’s society. It is important for us to start educating our kids at a young age regarding the dangers of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.  Learn more about our organization.

Facts and Statistics about Teenage Smoking That Your Kid Will Listen To

Smoking is a tough subject when it comes to substance abuse prevention. Tobacco companies are getting more creative than ever at targeting the young audience in their marketing efforts. It is important to educate our youth on the dangers and negative effects of smoking. Here are some facts and statistics that your kid is likely to listen to.

9 Teenage Smoking Facts and Statistics

1.       Nicotine use during adolescence negatively affects brain development. Does your teenager have big college plans? Not if they don’t have the grades to make the cut! Fill them in on the negative effects that tobacco use can have on their brain development.

2.       Smoking leads to poor physical performance from decreased lung function.If your child dreams about being the star of the football or softball team then they may be interested to know that smoking can hinder their performance on the field and prevent them from accomplishing their goals.

3.       Smoking can fry dopamine receptors, decreasing your sense of pleasure, memory, thinking and awareness.How do you like the sound of that? Exactly. The teenage years are meant to be some of the best of our lives – smoking can take away from the joy of adolescence and hinder your ability to retain memorable moments.

4.       16 million people in the US live with smoking related disfigurements and diseases.

Oh, you didn’t know that smoking could cause these types of adverse reactions? These are the things that we need to be educating our teenagers about.

5.       1,300 people die per day from smoking, which means 9,100 people per week.

This is a disturbing statistic to say the least. What does your teenager want to be when they grow up? If the answer isn’t “just another one of these statistics,” then smoking has no place in their adolescent life.

6.       For every vine video you watch, someone dies – tobacco-related deaths happen every 6.5 seconds. Now this is a statistic that your teenager can relate to and hopefully learn from. Is a cigarette really worth someone dying every 6.5 seconds?

7.       Approximately 90% of smokers began smoking before the age of 18.

A common misconception among teenagers is that just because they smoke occasionally with their buddies, doesn’t mean they are going to smoke when they grow up – that is a dangerous mindset, according to this statistic.

8.       Teenagers who continue to smoke into adulthood can develop infertility and impotence issues later in life.

This statistic can especially hit home with young girls who have been dreaming of becoming a mother since they were little girls – smoking can turn that dream into a nightmare. Is a cigarette worth losing sight of that dream?

9.       Smoking causes multiple immediate effects that can be detrimental to your image and physical appearance. Teenagers should ask themselves these questions –

·         Do you like talking to someone who has bad breath?

·         Do you think having yellow teeth is attractive?

·         Do you want to be coughing and hacking up phlegm during your movie date with the cute girl in your Algebra class?

·         Do you want people to avoid you because your clothes and hair reek of cigarette smoke?

10.   What does dog urine and a pack of cigarettes have in common?

Ammonia. Don’t know what this is? Well, it is a gas that is found in dog pee and, you guessed it, that cigarette that you are smoking because you think it makes you look cool. Think again.

The Walton County Prevention Coalition prides itself in working towards efforts of creating a Tobacco-Free Florida. Tobacco isn’t to be ignored when it comes to substance abuse in our youth, being that tobacco use contributes to the leading causes of death in our country. Talk to your kids about smoking and keep them informed on all of the horrifying statistics surrounding tobacco use.