Recent studies have found that kids really do listen when parents advise them to avoid tobacco , drugs , and alcohol . Take some time to talk to your kids about the hazards of using tobacco; it can make a big difference in their lives.
Kids may not realize the hazards associated with all types of tobacco. These include:
Despite the impact of movies, music, and TV, parents can be the greatest influence in their kids' lives. Here are some guidelines for helping keep your kids tobacco free:
What if your child has already tried smoking? By using good parenting skills (eg, having consequences for your child's actions and monitoring your child’s behavior) you can reduce the chance that your child will become a daily smoker.
You can take action outside of your home, too. For example:
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/
American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/
The Lung Association
http://www.lung.ca/
References
Health Day News. Smoking, drinking should matter in movie ratings, parent survey finds. EBSCO Health Library website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=15topicID=81 . Published March 3, 2009. Accessed June 5, 2009.
Youth and tobacco. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Last updated February 28, 2007. http://www.cdc.gov . Accessed January 18, 2009.
¹6/5/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Dalton MA, Beach ML, Adachi-Mejia AM, et al. Early exposure to movie smoking predicts established smoking by older teens and young adults. Pediatrics. 2009;123(4):e551-558.
¹10/5/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Kim MJ, Fleming CB, Catalano RF. Individual and social influences on progression to daily smoking during adolescence. Pediatrics. 2009 Aug 10. [Epub ahead of print]
Last reviewed January 2009 by Janet H. Greenhut, MD, MPH
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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