Parents: Who your kids associate with puts them at higher risk of becoming regular smokers, says a new study published in Annals of Family Medicine. For the study researchers surveyed 1,195 sixth-grade students in Massachusetts during a four-year period. The study revealed that 177 sixth-graders tried cigarettes and 109 of them became daily smokers. Twenty-one percent of the students surveyed admitted having easy access to cigarettes and 9 percent of the students had friends who smoked. By the 9th grade, half the students could easily get cigarettes, and one third had friends who smoked.
According to statistics, black youth are less likely to become regular smokers compared to white youth. But through second-hand smoke, they are exposed to as much nicotine as young whites. Second-hand smoke can lead to lung cancer, asthma and other respiratory issues.
To find out how to talk to your teenagers about smoking, visit the Mayo Clinic here.
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