What can you do to prevent a child from smoking

Source for scientific facts for this article: Bases científicas para a prevenção do consumo de tabaco na escola, José Precioso and Manuel Macedo, Instituto de Educação e Psicologia, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal

A prevention program, an action you promote in school or anywhere,  or whatever you do, a mere friendly conversation, a letter or email that you write to a child, must be able to influence the attitude, the belief of that child. You can begin by emphasizing the benefits of not smoking and the disadvantages of smoking. Provide information on the short-term smoking effects because children do not consider the long-term consequences. Think that if the child has friends that smoke they will try to minimize the risk of it. So build your case! They will try to point out the advantages of that behavior very strongly when confronted. The child must be made aware that those benefits are false. She must have enough information so she can argue back.

Most people think that cigarettes will harm their health only in a far future. But this is not entirely correct and you must be aware of it. When smoking a cigarette the nicotine will speed up the child’s heart rate, raise her blood pressure and disturb the flow of blood and air into the lungs. This will happen within a few minutes of smoking just one cigarette. As a result a child who smokes will feel more tired than one that does not smoke.

Nicotine will also paralyze the tiny hairs in the lung passages. These hairs help to clean dirt and germs out. If they are down then child will start to cough, will develop a sore throat and runny nose. Probably she will get colds more often as the protection against germs will be less. The carbon monoxide in the smoke lowers the amount of oxygen carried in the blood to the rest of the child’s body, including the heart and the brain. A child who smokes has less endurance when running and playing sports and won’t be as fit as another one who doesn’t smoke.

Finally, tar and cancer-causing substances are deposited in child airways and lungs. Cigarettes smoke have plenty of toxic and poison chemicals. In a word or two: the child will feel and be sick. One day she will spent time going to a doctor instead of going out to play football. Then she will have to take medicines. Eventually she will miss school, she will stay indoors so she can be treated. She will not be able to go out with her healthy friends to party. This will be an unpleasant routine for the child and will be happening in the present not in the future.

Smoking cigarettes deadens the nerve-endings for smell and taste. It’s not good if one who smokes cannot smell or taste as well as a non smoker. Smoking stains teeth with in a yellowish color and gives bad breath. Also leaves an unpleasant smell in clothes. So there goes the child’s allowance in mint chewing gum and spray. Smoking is expensive and if a child gets hooked on nicotine she will have to spend more money on it and less on Mp3 download or movie or football tickets or cool t-shirts or whatever she likes and saves money for.

As far as developing a subjective norm unfavorable to smoking point out that most people in the building wher you live, neighborhood, village, city, world… do not smoke. Movies, TV and tobacco industry advertise created a false notion that smoking is cool and OK and quite common. Not necessarily so. Many persons find smoking an unpleasant, expensive, filthy and unhealthy habit. Many disapprove it. Many of these people are famous people from the world of sports, movies, music and politics. Probably you have dear friends that don’t smoke. Many people are trying to give up smoking every day. Why? They realized it's dangerous. Smokers influence non-smokers and it’s easy for these to feel that saying no to smoke can be awkward as it may be seen as an implicit criticism. Smokers tend to minimize smoking risks and often talk with great conviction about their capacity of breaking free the minute they want to. Truth is very different.

Some challenging situations that a child might endure must be discussed before taking place. The child must be taught to say no when confronted with a cigarette trial offering that comes from a friend she looks up to. She must have the notion that if she’s facing any sort of difficulty at school a cigar will not help. It will not solve it and it certainly not relaxes her better than a swim in the pool or a movie or a long walk in the park or a football match. A cigar is not a fashion acessory. It simply does not ad anything what so ever to one's image.

Law prohibits the sale of tobacco to underage. It’s illegal. For some children the possibility of being fined as they try to buy tobacco is real. What will they do then? Steal? At last, cigarette smoke pollutes the air people breath and chemicals in it are toxic and poisonous to everybody, babies, children, women, men, even pets. It isn’t good for the planet either because paper is needed to make the cigars and cigar boxes. Smoking is not a green thing to do.

Finally you can use techniques of commitment. It can be done just in the family circle. Let the child explain why she considers that smoking is a bad choice. As a consequence she commits herself not to smoke in front of an audience. Other idea is to put in writing a sort of a contract between you and the child you’re addressing. That will reinforce her behavior.

Remember, World No Tobacco Day is May31!

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Cindy Bolley   HHCTB? For many years I went into our local school systems around our county and spoke about "HOT" Hazards of Tobacco We offered a different program for the different age groups my favorite were the 5th graders. I gave many talks... We tried to express healthy choices I hope I helped at least a couple of them to make the healthy choice about NOT smoking Cindy May 19th 2011 11:09

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist Cindy,thanks for sharing that experience. I wasn't aware of all smoking implications before I did some serious reading about it.This was kind of silly because I once coordinate some programs about more heavy drugs! May 19th 2011 12:18

Cindy Bolley   HHCTB? Belinha... it is funny that you say that because that was a huge surprise to me. At the end of these presentations we always asked the kids to fill out a short feed back form. One of the questions on it was.... Please tell one thing that you learned. Repeatedly the answer was written...... "I never heard how bad tobacco was for you." That statement was echoed many time from all different age groups. It was so hard for me to believe this because of all of the PSA that are aired. I guess you just have to tell them... and then tell them again and then start all over again as if you were saying it for the very first time. Cindy May 19th 2011 13:05

Paul Hines   LiveGood Health And Wellness You can always slap the cigarette out of their mouths. May 19th 2011 13:08

Cindy Bolley   HHCTB? You could and I am sure that worked for you Paul But some kids need a bit more than that Take me.... That method wouldn't of worked for me.... at all probably just want to make me do it more. I was a real brat when I was growing up Cindy May 19th 2011 13:41

Philippe Moisan   Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer I will always remember, well, it's not about cigarettes, it's about drugs. When I was a teenager at school, a police officer came to talk to us about it. He said the best way to convince someone that drugs are bad is to bring someone to an abandoned house full of drug addicts. You get so disgusted you stop at once. Here in Canada, they show pictures on cigarette packs of how smoking affects the body, like the lungs. In the Quebec province where I live, stores are not allowed to show cigarette packs, they have to hide them behind doors. May 20th 2011 12:44

Sig TeamSig   Marketing Same in Norway Philippe, pics on cigarette packages and hide behind some doors as you say, we it here too...and if you folks dont remeber our Country was the 1st to not let any smoke inside a Pub, resturante etc..and after that country after country start do the same... But why not give them a strong cig when theyr small..I bet they dont want one more ;) lol Sig May 20th 2011 12:53

Philippe Moisan   Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer Funny you said that, Sig, my 2 sisters ( 7 and 10 years older than me, both were smoking at the time ) asked me to try it, I was 10 years old, they wanted a good laugh, they got it, as I choked on it and started coughing. Both my parents smoked at the time, so there were 4 people out of 5 smoking in the house. May 20th 2011 12:58

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist Sigurd, in Portugal it was forbiden in 2009. Since then we see lots of people smoking at the doors of restaurants and cafés os shops. Cigarette packs mention that smoking is dangerous and that it causes slow death and suffering but do not have those photos, not all European country adopted it.It's quite easy to buy cigarettes.Automatic machines are everywhere. May 20th 2011 13:08

Philippe Moisan   Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer Here in Quebec ( rest of Canada too ? ) less than 18 years old are not allowed to buy cigarettes, and I don't remember the last time I saw an automatic machine. May 20th 2011 13:10

Paul Hines   LiveGood Health And Wellness Its a hard habit to break, but so is Coffee. May 20th 2011 13:11

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist We have those signs here too. But if a youngster goes to a shop to buy cigars the vendor will not ask for ID. May 20th 2011 13:13

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist Oh, yes, Paul, coffee is also very difficult to leave, I can speak from experience! May 20th 2011 13:17

Philippe Moisan   Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer 30 years of coffee won't put you at risk of MPOC, now that's the French name, let's see... Maladie Pulmonaire Obstructive Chronique, so Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Sickness ? My mother-in-law has that, she how has medication against ashtma, it started last year, she can't walk as much as she used to, cause she gets out of breath faster May 20th 2011 13:24

Sig TeamSig   Marketing No automatic machines here at all..you cant buy till your 18. and the one working in store must be at least 18 to sell them out. And if they dont ask for ID. The store can come in big trouble, and maybe even loose the licenses to sell Cigaretts + even Beer. No smoking in any buildings anymore +++ Even at bus-stops they planning to make an smokefree area around it. so we will see how fare it goes..I think it has start become hysterical now...but...coz the Goverment tell us do not smoke, but with the HIGH Prices in Norway where most of the price of a package goes back to the Goverment..well I dont know they earn a lot on it. Same with Gas +++ Smoking is not good for health, but that is not Crazy people telling the judgment day comes tomorrow ;) Have a great weekend all of you! Friendly Sig May 20th 2011 13:24

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist Thank you all for this healthy dialogue around smoking subject! May 20th 2011 13:34

David C.   manager Here in Britain we have the same the pictures on the pkts,and pkts under the counter.The trend in Britain has changed for the worse more children are smoking again,you have to be 18 to buy them.What we think is causing the sudden swing back to the bad days is stars who smoke 1or2 cigarettes a lot of the models are smoking Naomi Campbell to name one a few of the Actors are having shots of them with a cigarette in their hands.As some one who has recently stopped after 35 years of smoking,nurse just told me the truth being in a wheelchair I am at a higher risk of getting thrombossis,bloodclots in my legs they have to removr your leg.When I was in Hospital I was in the same ward as people as young as 25 had thier legs removed,but they were still smoking.After what the nurse said I stopped straight away,I have kind of become attached to my legs.THe youth are seeing these stars who do,not really smoke so they think iT is coll.If you tell a child no you are not doing that they will rebel and At least try it,some will give into peer pressure like I did I knew all the health issues.Being a smoker of 35 years starting when I was Sixteen smokers all my friends were smokers when I was younger TV avertising was allowed,it isn't now but there advertising is done in major films they have one of the major stars smoking and they allways throw down the pkt so you see the company.The major companies are now targeting the youth of India the far East it is a big market,alsso poor African countries like Malawi where they are basically giving them away for nothing to get them hooked,just like drug addicts.A Final note after 35 years of smoking I don,t have high blood pressure my lugs are 99% oxygen in the test which is better than most non smokers and I can say honestly with my hand on my Heart not one of my health problems were caused by smoking,so I wouldn't show this to any children as they will say but look at him,just say ,Yes but hes in a wheelchair a little unknown-side affect of smoking,its called Tobbacco chair wheelseritis May 20th 2011 13:44

Belinha Fernandes   Plastic artist Thank you so much for your comment David! I'm aware of what you wrote as I did a lot of reading on this.But I have to tell you that I did not knew most of it before I did research.So I'm talking of just three years ago!!!!! I know it's still easy for people to think that a cigarette isn't that bad even if there are so much more information and regulation about it than the days I was a child or a young woman.That's why we need to work those notions with children since a very early age. I truly believe that.Many people will die in poor countries before they can react to it and say no to cigarettes.It's just too lucrative business. May 20th 2011 15:42

David C.   manager In Scotland If your father caught tou smoking he would go to the shop get 20 cigarettess and a half bottle of whisky he would make you smoke one after the other straight away and drink the whisky neat by the time you were finished you were puking everywhere now you know why Scotland is a Nation of Alcholics the more you got caught the more you drank May 20th 2011 16:30