Tobacco use is started and established primarily during adolescence. Shockingly, nearly 90 percent of cigarette smokers first tried smoking by age 18.
Smoking is a dangerous habit that increases the risk for many serious health issues and can shorten lifespan by up to 10 years. Among young people, the short-term health consequences of smoking include respiratory and non-respiratory effects, as well as a dependency on nicotine.
Among teens with asthma or allergy issues, smoking can exacerbate symptoms of these conditions. Smoking causes inflammation of the airways, causes you to produce more mucous, and makes you more susceptible to respiratory infections, chronic cough and breathing issues like COPD. Other effects of smoking include premature aging of skin, reduced physical and athletic performance, and a general decreased quality of life. Smoking also reduces the rate of lung growth and can lead to lung cancer and heart disease and failure.
Today’s teens have access to more than just cigarettes – they also use electronic cigarettes or vapes, and hookahs, and many teens aren’t as familiar with the health risks of these newer products. It’s important to educate your teens on the risks of smoking of any kind. For example, electronic cigarettes may seem less dangerous to many teens, but these products still contain nicotine and hundreds of harmful chemicals. If your teen smokes, help them break the habit with tools such as support groups and lifestyle modifications.
The good news is that the benefits of quitting smoking go into effect almost immediately. Within 20 minutes of quitting, the heart rate returns to a normal level; within 12 hours of quitting, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to a normal level; and within two weeks, the risk of having a heart attack begins to decrease and lung function begins to improve. The benefits of quitting continue to drastically increase the longer you go without smoking. Long-term benefits include reduced risk of lung cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Spokesperson Background:
Dr. Roselyn Hicks is a board-certified allergy and immunology specialist at Allergy and Asthma Center of North Carolina and a member of the Cone Health Medical Group. Dr. Hicks is a 1997 graduate of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She completed her residency in pediatrics and her fellowship in allergy and immunology at the University of South Florida.
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