Today’s teens and young adults can access information about millions of subjects almost instantly. But almost in all media, it warns about the dangers of tobacco use also carry messages that smoking is cool. That’s one of reasons why nearly 4,000 kids under age 18 try their first cigarette every day. That’s almost 1.5 million youth per year.In fact, nearly 9 out of 10 smokers start smoking by age 18, and 99% start by age 26.On any given day, more than 2.500 youth
and young adults who have been occasional smokers will become regular smokers. And at least a third of these replacement smokers will die early from smoking.
Tobacco is a plant grown for its leaves, which are dried and fermented before being put in tobacco products. Tobacco contains nicotine, an ingredient that can lead to addiction, which is why so many people who use tobacco find it difficult to quit. There are also many other potentially harmful chemicals found in tobacco or created by burning it.People can smoke, chew, or sniff tobacco. Smoked tobacco products include cigarettes, cigars, bidis, and kreteks. Some people also smoke loose tobacco in a pipe or hookah. Chewed tobacco products include chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, and snuff can also be sniffed.
There are many reasons young people begin using tobacco. Teenagers, and even preteens, are developing behaviors, social connections, and attitudes. They often experiment with different behaviors because they see these behaviors in peers they admire, in adults they hope to be like someday, or in media or entertainment idols.Adolescents and young adults are very susceptible to social in uences. If they see tobacco use as a normal behavior because their friends or family members use tobacco, young people are more likely to try tobacco themselves.Nicotine is just as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Because they are sensitive to nicotine, teens can feel dependent on tobacco sooner than adults. There is also evidence that genetics might make it more difficult for some young people to quit smoking once they have started.
Those who use chewing tobacco have an increased risk of developing gum diseases and gum recession which is pulling away of the gum tissue from the teeth. Moreover, leukoplakia can also occur it’s more like white patches inside mouth that can become cancerous after a period of time.Furthermore, we have abrasion which means wearing down of teeth.Also, chewing tobacco is capable to cause staining of teeth,tooth decay and high possibilities of tooth loss as well.However chewing tobacco doesn’t only affect the oral cavity of a human but also the thoracic and abdominal cavity of a human.For example, chewing tobacco causes cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes. People who chew and snuff tobacco usually will end up with many heart disease and inflammation in oral cavity.
Prevention is critical in this case as it affects humans life span. If young people don’t start using tobacco by age 26, they almost certainly will never start. The good news is that there are many things we can do to help keep teens and young adults tobacco-free. Take steps that make it harder for youth to use tobacco, such as increased taxation of tobacco products, stricter laws and enforcement of laws regulating who can purchase tobacco products, how and where they can be purchased where and when they can be used. For example in smoke-free policies in restaurants, bars, and other public places and restrictions on advertising and mandatory health warnings on packages. More than 100 studies have proven that higher taxes on cigarettes have lead to significant reductions in smoking, specially for people with lower incomes.
There are effective policies and programs that prevents young people from using tobacco. Policies and programs that contain several parts of working together to make tobacco use more difficult and less accepted are the ones that work best.Policies are very effective because they can change the environment so that choosing a tobacco-free life is encouraged and supported.Government and private entities have implemented a number of policies that are effective in preventing youth tobacco use which are to make tobacco products less affordable,restrict tobacco marketing,ban smoking in public places such as workplaces, schools, day care centers, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and parks,require tobacco companies to label tobacco packages with large, graphic health warnings.
Parents can help their children to make healthy choices about tobacco use by making sure parents know what their children are doing and who their friends are.Network with other parents who can help encourage children and teens to refuse tobacco. Also, encourage children’s schools to enforce tobacco free policies for students, faculty,staff, and visitors both on campus and at all school-sponsored events off campus.Enforce movie age restrictions and discourage teens from playing video gamesor using other media that feature smoking.Never give tobacco to children or teens. Set a good example by not using tobacco.
Chewing tobacco can be prevented even if its addictive. As with cigarette smoking, various support systems, programs, and even prescription medications are available to help people quit using chewing tobacco. Examples of products available used to wean a person from nicotine addiction from chewing tobacco include nicotine gum called as Nicorette,nicotine patches which are (Habitrol, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol) and lozenges.Prescription medicines such as bupropion SR (Zyban and Wellbutrin SR) and varenicline tartrate (Chantix) have been effective in some patients that are trying to quit nicotine.
Although the tobacco problem can be countered, countries need to put effort and need to take effective steps to protect their populations. Furthermore, the tobacco problem is making health inequalities worse and, both within countries, where in most cases the poor smokes far more than the wealthy ones, and internationally, with poor countries soon to make up more than 80% of the illness and death caused by tobacco and half of the corpse are youths from the age of 16 to 26.
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