Personal Injury Law

Students Light Up

By Megan Roth

It's a movement that has taken the nation by storm: we're in the middle of the ultimate attempt to rid all nicotine-craving-fiends from campuses and public places around the nation. Even entire cities have put a ban on smoking in public places (less the streets, of course).

Quite obviously, smoking is on our minds. And, in my most humble opinion, it's a quite legitimate concern.

According to the Mayo Clinic, nearly 90% of adult smokers fell into the habit before they turned 19-years old. We understand why most decided to start smoking (duh - it's cool), but why haven't they quit?

In addition to the obvious answer (that nicotine is highly addictive), smokers who begin tobacco use as adolescents are less inclined to quit because they became dependent on nicotine before their bodies were fully developed and it became like a dietary staple for them. So what makes us think the youth today will be any different?

To be honest - they're not. In fact, Dr. Daniel Rodriguez (who has done extensive research on this subject) claims, "most smoking initiation begins during adolescence." In fact, in that same report, the Mayo Clinic revealed that 23% of high school students and 10% of middle school students in the U.S. smoke on a regular basis.

These are just the 'regulars'; add to this the fact that between 80,000 and 100,000 kids around the world start smoking every day and, annually, approximately five million deaths result from tobacco use. Perhaps this explains why adults' number one health concern for adolescents is smoking.

Studies show that students who participate in organized high school activities are one-third less likely to begin smoking in high school. Even better: students who participate in sports have a decreased risk of starting to smoke even three years after completing high school.

Why? Two primary reasons: participation in sports increases an individual's self-confidence and makes them less likely to hang out with troublesome peers; thus, these individuals not only avoid situations in which smoking is present, but also have the willpower necessary to say no pressured to smoke.

Listen up, parents - I'm not saying to sign your kid up for every event imaginable; I am, however, encouraging you to consider the positive aspects certain activities may have. Maybe your kids don't want to participate? That's fine - I'm not encouraging you to force them.although, from what I've learned so far, sometimes coercion is key.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on September 02, 2008 (boomark / email).