Young people are eager to experience new things and this often means experimenting with lots of things that aren’t the best, for example starting unhealthy habits like smoking.
Smoking might start innocently enough but after a while it becomes a long term problem that can last throughout the life of an individual. Many young school-going pupils are still picking up the habit of smoking, not knowing the risks associated with it.
Many youngsters start smoking just because they’re curious and think it will make them look cool. Others may like the idea of doing something dangerous – something grown ups don’t want them to do. Some youngsters might know lots of people who smoke and think it’s a way to act or look like an adult. In other cases, some might think that its the best way to lose weight or to look tough.
The YouthPaper looks at the dangers associated with smoking at an early age and what young people can do to stay away from smoking.
Teenage smoking affects the developing areas of brain. Between the ages of 13 and 21, certain areas of brain are still in the developmental process, which is affected by the chemicals found in cigarettes. This results in a rise of mental health issues such as poor decision-making skills, immature cognitive control and so on. Adolescents who smoke often tend to take irrational decisions and behave more immaturely than their peers who don’t smoke.
Desmond Ochurub, a school-going pupil, said that he started smoking because of peer pressure.
“I was just stupid because the guys whom I stayed with smoked. I would sneak around my parents because I knew my mother would scold me if she found out what I was busy with,” he says.
“But I kept smoking and would get really irritated if I didn’t smoke. I would always bother my sisters to give me a dollar so that I could buy myself a cigarette. I got so skinny and my mom would always say that I looked bad. One day I just woke up and decided that enough was enough,” says Desmond.
“I decided that smoking was ruining my life. When my usual smoking buddies came around to hang out, I would just tell them not to smoke in my presence. It’s a very bad habit and no one should waste their time like that,” he says.
Hildegard Goagoses, a nurse at Central Hospital, says that smoking is an addictive habit that destroys the lives of many people, especially youngsters.
“They think that it’s a cool thing but it’s really not. There are many cancers associated with smoking and because signs take a long time to show, youngsters think that it’s OK to smoke. But it’s not.”
Sister Hildegard says smoking causes coughing, chest pain and symptoms like shortness of breath.
• yellow teeth
• smelly clothes
• more colds and coughs
• difficulty keeping up with friends when playing sports
• an empty wallet as cigarettes and tobacco products are very expensive
• Just say no if a friend offers you a cigarette. Refuse and state clearly that smoking is dangerous and unhealthy.
• Avoid hanging out with people who smoke. Rather be with friends and family that support your healthier choices.
• Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking. Don’t hold on to your favourite lighter.
• Exercise is a great way to stay busy, combat negative feelings, and improve your heart health.
• Dive into other pastimes. Sometimes to get rid of one habit, it helps to replace it with another. Get into a new hobby to occupy your time. Adopt small habits, like chewing bubble gum in place of smoking.
Hydrogen Cyanide: This chemical is used to kill rats and it was used during WWII as a genocidal agent. Smokers inhale it with every puff.
This chemical is used in manufacturing gasoline.
It’s in nail polish remover and it’s in cigarettes.
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