Prevention Tips

How to talk to your kids about smoking

It's never too early to talk about tobacco. When you talk to your kids about not using tobacco, you can give them more than just good advice, you can give them a solid defense strategy to say "no." Remember that kids often seem to be defying authority when what they really want are tips they can use to help them resist peer pressure.

• If your child is concerned about appearance, talk about the way smoking causes bad breath, stinky hair and clothes, stains on fingers and teeth, and hair loss.
• Your child will probably be shocked to learn just what goes into a cigarette. Give them a tour of the garage, basement, or under the kitchen sink where you might have some of these chemicals--acetone (nail polish remover), toluene (paint thinner), benzene (gasoline), cadmium (batteries), phenol (disinfectant)--all of which are inhaled with each cigarette.
• If your child is physically active or into sports, talk about the shortness of breath and loss of endurance that tobacco causes.
• Talk about the money it takes to smoke for a week, for a year. What else could they buy with that money?
• Let your child know that four out of five Albertans DON'T smoke.
• Put a human face to addiction. Talk about how hard it is to quit smoking.

What if you smoke yourself?

If you smoke, it's even more important to talk to your children about the effects of smoking. Your kids will likely challenge you: "If you smoke, why can't I?" They are also more likely to smoke than other kids. But studies show you can reduce that risk if you talk to them about it. How to start?

• Start at the beginning. Explain why you started. Your friends smoked. You thought it was adult. You thought it was risky and exciting. You thought you could control it. You didn't know it was addictive.
• Talk about what it's like to be addicted. Share what it's been like trying to quit.
• Show that you think smoking isn't healthy. Smoke outside at home and ask others to do the same.
• Your first conversation about smoking shouldn't be your last. The pressures that contribute to a child experimenting with tobacco continue through adolescence into adulthood. Keep up the conversation!

Practice makes perfect

Chances are your child will be offered a cigarette. Try to prepare him or her to say no - before the situation arises. Ask if any of the following options would work for them or make up new ones together.

• "No thanks, I don't want my clothes to stink."
• "My girlfriend (or boyfriend) has a problem with kissing ashtrays, so I'll say no."
• "Why would I want to smoke?"
• "I'm excited about making the team and I think smoking will slow me down."
• "No thanks, I don't want to chance getting hooked. I see people spending $75 a week on cigarettes."
• "Cancer runs in our family, so I don't want to push my luck."

Here's the best news

Youth who make it to 19 without smoking will probably never smoke in their lives.