Stop Smoking Tips

Every day nearly 4,400 kids between the ages 12 and 17 start smoking. The reasons kids start smoking are varied. Stay in touch with your children and reinforce the dangers of tobacco use.

Remind children that in addition to being at risk for cancer, if they choose to smoke they’ll notice:

*Bad breath
*Yellow teeth
*Smelly clothes
*More colds and coughs
*Difficulty keeping up with friends when playing sports
*Empty wallet - cigarettes and tobacco products are very expensive!

What Are Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco?
Tobacco is a plant that can be smoked in cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. It contains nicotine, a chemical that causes a tingly or good feeling - but that feeling only lasts for a little while. Nicotine is also addictive.

Why Is It So Bad for You?
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. The nicotine and other poisonous chemicals in tobacco cause lots of diseases, like heart problems and some kinds of cancer. The longer you smoke, the worse the damage becomes.

The Other Cost of Smoking
Using tobacco eats up a lot of money, too. A pack of cigarettes costs $5, on average. That means, even if you buy just one pack a week, you'll spend $260 in a year. Some people smoke a pack a day, which adds up to $1,680! That's a lot of CDs, computer games and clothes.

What if My Friend Smokes?
If you have a friend who smokes or uses tobacco, you can help him or her by encouraging the person to quit. Here are some reasons you can mention:

It will hurt his or her health.
It will make his or her breath stinky.
It will turn his or her teeth yellow.
It will give him or her less endurance when running or playing sports.
It's expensive.
It's illegal to buy cigarettes when you're underage.

For more information on smoking cessation programs co-sponsored by Baptist Health Paducah, click here or download our Quit Now booklet.