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Tips on Preventing Teenage Tobacco Usage
by Geary L. Smith

Years ago, an acquaintance asked, "Hey man, do you want a hit of this bidis?"

Bidis, pronounced "bee- dees", are flavored, leaf-wrapped cigarettes from India.

"No thanks, man," I responded quickly.

I didn't need anything else that would further restrict or permanently damage my lungs. The strong grips of asthma forced me to struggle for air, wheezing and praying for relief. In bed, I had to sit up and elevate my head on two pillows to freely inhale and exhale fresh air, something that many people take for granted. I used to think that if I could just make it until the sun came up that everything would be all right.

That was almost twenty-five years ago, and by some blessing or miracle, I no longer suffer from asthma or any other related breathing problems. In fact, I am now running three to five miles a day with no breathing problems at all. However, many children today may face health problems like lung or oral cancers and emphysema if they succumb to peer pressure to smoke cigarettes or use other forms of non-smokeless tobacco products.

According to the Monitoring the Future Nation Survey, 2007, the number of teens who smoke has significantly declined over the years. However, there is still concern about the teenage attitude of using smokeless tobacco products and their seemingly harmful effects, as compared to smoking cigarettes. Bidis and other forms of smokeless tobacco products such as chew, snuff, dip and kretets (also known as clove cigarettes) can cause cancer of the tongue, gums, larynx, lungs, and stomach.

Here are some tips for parents to educate their children about smoking or using tobacco products:

1.	Do the Math - Have your children calculate the weekly, monthly, and yearly cost of purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco products. Help them realize what they could have brought with the money saved such as new electronic gadgets, clothes, and even investing in the stock market or into a College Fund each month.
2.	Create Non - Smoking Parents Forums/Groups- Get together with other parents to form groups that help teach children about the negative side effects of using tobacco. Show short documentaries to stress what smoking can do to a child's health. Arrange field trips to the cancer wards of hospitals to show the impact of using tobacco products.
3.	Get Involved - Eliminate boredom, which can cause teenagers to try cigarettes. Encourage your children to get involved in sports, scouting, band, church organizations, and many other activities to build their social skills and interaction. Involvement in different organizations will expose your child to positive role models, which in turn will reinforce positive messages and behaviors.
4.	Set Clear Rules - Establish the rules and boundaries for your children about using tobacco products. Discuss with your children the dangers of tobacco, and try to understand their viewpoints. Encourage independent thinking skills. Be firm about the consequences of using tobacco and what privileges will be restricted such as driving the car, attending parties, and receiving allowances.

You may not have all of the answers in raising your children, but communication is the first step. Talk with your children. Learn about their thoughts and ideas. Family discussions will help your children make mature decisions about smoking and using tobacco products.

Recommended books for parents:

How to Talk to Teens about Really Important Things by Charles Schaefer.

How to Say it to Teens by Richard Heyman.

Xtreme Talk by Eastman Curtis.

Websites:
American Cancer Society, 1-800-ACS-2345
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/factsheet/bidisandkrets.htm
www.monitoringthefuture.org
Phillip Morris USA, www.phillipmorrisusa.com

Married to Tonnette, Geary L. Smith has two daughters, Jessica and Somer. Mr. Smith has a B.S in psychology from Morehouse, M.Ed. Stephen F. Austin and is currently working as counselor/administrator in a juvenile center.