News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Results from the National Youth Tobacco Survey indicate that the favorite cigarette of adults - Marlboro - is also the top cigarette brand among teens who smoke on a regular basis. The survey included responses from 54,301 regular smokers, part of the 2004 and 2006 National Youth Tobacco Survey of nearly 5 million 12- to 17-year-olds. Approximately 52 percent of high school students who are "established smokers" prefer Marlboro, 21 percent prefer Newport, and 13 percent prefer Camel. Although cigarette smoking has declined among teens in recent years, health experts worry that cigarette advertising efforts that target adults may also be reaching teens.

Dr. Victor Strasburger, a professor of pediatrics at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, commented, "cigarettes are still the most heavily advertised drug in America ... it's sad." (Source: www.google.com/hostednews/ap)

Labels: cigarettes, smoking, marketing

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Obesity causes as many early deaths as does a 10-cigarette-a-day smoking habit.

• Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden studied 45,000 men ages 16 to 19 years old, and then followed up with them about 20 years later.
• Those who smoked more than ten cigarettes a day and who were also obese at the greatest risk for premature death, being five times more likely to die than non-smokers of healthy weights.
• Smoking between one and ten cigarettes a day was the equivalent of being overweight, but not obese.

Alone, obesity and heavy smoking each doubled the risk of premature death.

This study appeared in the British Medical Journal.

Labels: health, obesity, smoking

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

New research has confirmed that teenagers whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking.

"The effect was particularly strong if young people were exposed to a parent's tobacco use before their teen years, Dr. Stephen E. Gilman of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and his colleagues found. But they also found that in children of ex-smokers 'that risk goes away if parents quit,' Gilman explained in an interview."

The study also found that while each parent independently influenced the likelihood that a teenager would smoke, mothers influenced both sons and daughters equally, while fathers had more influence over sons. Source: Reuters

Labels: influences, smoking

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"No smoking in the house" is a simple rule that helps teens stay away from cigarettes, according to a new study from the Boston School of Public Health.

Dr. Alison Albers and her colleagues interviewed 2,217 students 12 to 17 years old over a four-year period. Teens who lived in homes with "no smoking" rules were less likely to experiment with cigarettes and more likely to believe that smoking is socially unacceptable.

If parents do not smoke themselves but allow others to smoke in their homes, their children were twice as likely to experiment with cigarettes.

"This basic intervention - implementing a household smoking ban - has the potential to promote anti-smoking norms and prevent adolescent smoking," Dr. Albers said.

The study was published in the Journal of Public Health.

Labels: rules, smoking, role_models

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A report released June 4 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that risky behavior among teenagers is declining. The study found that teens today drink, smoke, and have sex less often than their peers did 16 years ago.

"The 2007 national data were collected from 14,041 students who self-reported their behavior and included only blacks, whites and Hispanics because other populations are too few for a representative sample, the CDC said."

The only "red flag" in the CDC's findings concerned Hispanic teens. Though risky behavior declined among the members of this group, Hispanic teens are still at higher risk than their Caucasian or African-American counterparts. Source: USA Today.

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Labels: risky_behavior, smoking, drinking

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Fewer of today's high school students are smoking, drinking, and having sex than were their counterparts in the 1990s, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cigarette usage is down to 11 percent from 26 percent in 1991. Alcohol use declined from 27 percent to 20 percent today. The percentage of sexually active teens changed from 54 percent in 1991 to 48 percent today. Condom use went up to 61 percent from 46 percent in 1991. Today's teens are also more likely to wear seat belts, the study found.

Labels: sex, smoking, drinking

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High school boys who work out or participate in sports are less likely to smoke, according to a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Boys who exercise individually are 12% less likely to smoke; those on sports teams are 18% less likely. The effect did not hold true for girls.

Dr. Daniel Rodriguez, who did the study for the American Cancer Society, said the results were important because most people start smoking in high school.

"If you can make it out of the adolescent period," he said, "you're pretty safe."

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Labels: exercise, boys, smoking

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The dangers of tobacco use are well-known. Despite that, about 20 percent of the nation's adolescents smoke cigarettes, and about 8 percent chew tobacco. This Q and A from the Des Moines, Iowa register helps parents figure out the best ways to talk to their kids about smoking.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control 'parents can be the greatest influence in their kids' lives.' Being involved and interested in a child's life is a great way to avoid a whole host of problems. The Centers for Disease Control also suggests 'talking directly to children about the risks of tobacco use. If friends or relatives died from tobacco-related illnesses, let your kids know.'"

The Q and A goes on to suggest being open with kids about the diseases and other risks of tobacco. Don't use scare tactics, but be honest. Choosing to dine in restaurants and other places that are smoke-free can help keep kids away from cigarettes as well.

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Labels: health, influences, smoking

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High school students who have part-time jobs are three times as likely to become smokers, according to a new study published in the Journal of Public Health.

Dr. Rajeeve Ramchand, lead author of the study, believes that teens with part-time jobs are more likely to smoke because they have the money to buy cigarettes, they are with older youths who smoke, and their jobs are so boring that smoking breaks monotony.

Labels: working, smoking, jobs

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Second-hand smoke can affect more than a child's health. A recently published study found that it also significantly affected academic performance.

UK students take O-level (ordinary level) and A-level (advanced level) exams at 16 to 18 years of age to test their knowledge of various subjects. The researchers found that students who had at least one parent smoking in the home were 30 percent less likely to pass their O levels. Teens who smoked one to nine cigarettes a week were 45 percent more likely to fail, while those who smoked 10 or more cigarettes weekly were at a 67 percent increased risk of failing this exam."

The study was conducted on over 6,300 kids and also found that, though prenatal smoking causes other health risks, it didn't affect academic performance at all.

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Labels: health, parents, smoking

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A study out of Britain has found that teenagers who regularly talk to their fathers about their struggles and stresses are less likely to smoke tobacco. The study was led by Dr. James White from the Cardiff University School of Medicine, and traced the habits of 3,500 teenagers.

“None of the children had ever smoked when the study began. They were asked about the frequency of parental communication, arguments with family members and how often they ate a meal as a family …

White’s research found that one of the major factors preventing teens from picking up the habit was how often fathers talked with their children about ‘things that mattered.’ He found that talks had to be one-on-one conversations because the frequency of family arguments and family meals didn’t have a significant effect.” (Source: QMI Agency)

White is presenting the study’s findings to the British Psychological Society’s annual conference. He hopes the results will encourage parents, and especially dads, to set aside one-on-one time with their kids.

 

Labels: parental influence, fathers, smoking

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

Teenagers whose mothers smoke are three times more likely to smoke cigarettes themselves, compared to children whose mothers abstain, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

• Only 9 percent of teenagers smoke tobacco.
• However, among teens whose mothers smoke, that rate is almost 17 percent.
• Teens whose mothers do not use cigarettes have an 5.8 percent smoking rate.

"We were a little surprised that the results were that high,"  said Fran Harding, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. "The percentages of teen smoking have been going down and this is showing us a recent increase."

Teens whose mothers suffered from a major episode of depression within the last year are twice as likely to take up smoking compared to teenagers not in that situation. The rate of smoking among teens with depressive mothers is 14.3 percent.
 

Labels: mothers, tobacco, influences, smoking

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment