Cigarettes and Your Teenager

Cigarettes kill more Americans every year than alcohol, heroin, and cocaine, put together. This is why it is vitally important for you to help your teenager kick cigarettes, even though they are not as immediately lethal as cocaine,or heroin, for instance. But studies have shown - in adults, at least - that there is no harm in stopping cigarette use at the same time the addicted person is stopping alcohol or other drugs. That is, there is no truth to the idea that stressing the person by stopping cigarettes will prevent achieving abstinence from other drugs. If your teenager smokes, you must yourself stop, and get help if you cannot stop on your own. Your teenager can attend groups therapies, like Smokenders and Smokestoppers, run by local Lung Associations and other groups. There are numerous complementary treatments available, like hypnosis, acupuncture, and mediation which have some effect in helping smokers stop.Finally, medications like Chantix, Zyban, and Nicorrette Gum can also help. But whatever you do, make sure your teenager tries, and keeps trying to stop smoking. It's important.