Teenage Smoking
Smoking is one of those addictions which have generated a lot of public uproar in the recent times. In recent studies, smoking has been rated as the most dangerous drug. Smoking and smoking related diseases have been the cause for more than 30 million deaths every year. Tobacco contains nicotine which acts as a stimulant which suppresses mental and emotional stress. Another main reason why teens smoke is the attention they get in schools due to smoking. Smoking is restricted among teens, so it becomes more fascinating for teens who find smoking adventurous. They like the adrenalin rush which comes from smoking at secret places.

What can Parents Do to Check Smoking?
Parents can counsel their children about the ill effects of smoking. Studies show that more than 80% of teenage smokers continue their habit to their adulthood. They are unaware of the risk they expose themselves to. Children take their parents as their role models. So the parents should always have positive influence on the child. Teenagers who smoke are also more susceptible to getting addicted to alcohol and other drugs. Compulsive smoking is a serious problem for teenagers. Teenage girls resort to smoking because it makes their weight loss easier. According to a study, 80% girl start smoking to keep their weight under control Parents should counsel their wards about other healthier ways of weight loss.

How Schools can Prevent Smoking?
The Centres for Disease Control has the National Guidelines for Tobacco Prevention in Schools. According to these guidelines, the schools should provide compulsory tobacco preventive education starting from kindergarten to high school. The schools should strict policies and rules in place for punishing tobacco users. Every school must have a counselling centre to help the teens who are addicted to tobacco. Schools should also provide education regarding the short term and long term effects of use of tobacco.

How Society can Help Curb Smoking?
The future of the nation lies in the hands of the youth. If the youth is unhealthy, the nation can never prosper. American Lung Association spends millions every year in anti-smoking campaigns and spreading awareness about the ill effects of smoking. National mass media campaigns should expose the ill effects of smoking. Teenagers idealise popular celebrities and movie stars. So if they find their favourites smoking on screen, they copy the same. The film makers can be appealed to abstain from showing smoking on screen as it inspires the adolescent audience to smoke.

Government Initiatives
The government should increase the taxes levied on tobacco products. This would ensure that the retail prices go up. Hence the teenagers who can't spend so much money will be forced to quit smoking. The government should set strict guidelines for schools to fight teen smoking. The government should formulate policies to reduce smoking shown on screen. Anti-smoking reforms should be implemented. Public smoking, i.e. smoking in bus depots, railway stations should be banned and punishable. Even though the government has succeeded in reducing public smoking, it has severely failed in making people quit smoking permanently.