It was announced that 90% of nicotine addicted adults start smoking during adolescence.
Stating that 90% of nicotine-addicted adults start smoking during adolescence, experts point out that adolescence is the most risky period for starting smoking. According to experts, cigarette addiction is followed by alcohol and substance addiction, and parents who learn that their child smokes should definitely talk to the child about this issue. Instead of punishing them, preventing them from seeing their friends or threatening them, they should talk to them with persuasion.
Since 1987, February 9 has been recognized by the World Health Organization as World Stop Smoking Day. Every year, 100 thousand people in our country and 6 million people worldwide lose their lives due to smoking. On this special day, it is aimed to draw attention to the harms of smoking and raise awareness.
Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital pointed out that smoking starts mainly during adolescence in his statement on February 9, World Smoking Day.
Smoking is a transition substance
Stating that smoking is very important for young people, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Adolescents usually meet cigarettes during high school and continue to use them. Ninety percent of adults with nicotine addiction start smoking in adolescence. In fact, cigarettes are considered as a transitional substance. The path that starts with smoking progresses towards alcohol and substance use. If adolescents are prevented from getting acquainted with cigarettes during this period, the likelihood of them not using cigarettes and other substances will be very high."
Effort to prove that they are growing up
Stating that there are several factors that make it easier to start smoking during adolescence, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "The most important of these are the effort to prove to the family that they have grown up and individualized while going from childhood to adulthood, curiosity, use in order to enter the environment of friends, imitating family elders or celebrities."
It starts with a single use and increases gradually
Stating that the smoking process of adolescents shows very similar characteristics with adults, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "At first, the amount of cigarettes used individually increases gradually, and after 3-4 packs, withdrawal symptoms and craving for cigarettes, which we call craving, begin. This process indicates the development of addiction."
E-cigarette is the biggest risk
Emphasizing that nicotine is the main addictive substance in addition to hundreds of different and harmful substances in cigarettes, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Electronic cigarettes, which have become increasingly popular recently and are frequently encountered in print and visual media, actually pose a great risk. Adolescents start using e-cigarettes, especially thinking that they are safer than cigarettes, and this use actually paves the way for cigarette addiction."
The harms of smoking should be explained during childhood
Stating that there are measures to be taken to protect children from smoking, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan made the following recommendations:
"First of all, these issues should be discussed in communication during childhood before adolescence. It is necessary to give information about the negative effects of smoking in conversation without lecturing children. When talking to children between the ages of 5-11, it is very important to mention that smoking causes yellowing of the teeth, causes bad breath odor, and causes many diseases such as heart attack and asthma. After the age of 12, it will be useful to inform adolescents about the harm they will see from smoking in bilateral relationships, that it makes them addicted very quickly and that it is very important to be able to say no. In addition, in order to set an example for children, it is necessary not to smoke around them and in their environment, and to prevent this situation if smoking is taking place. A non-smoking parent as a role model is of great importance. Children should not be asked to bring or buy cigarettes or smoking products such as matches, lighters or e-cigarettes, even from one room to another. Adopting a 'healthy living' philosophy such as sports, physical activity, healthy eating habits and cultural activities by all family members will protect children and adolescents from all kinds of harmful habits."
What should you do when you learn that your child smokes?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan stated that parents who learn that their child smokes should definitely talk to their child and said, "If you suspect that your child smokes, it is absolutely necessary to talk about this issue. First of all, you should convey your suspicions clearly and clearly and ask whether he/she smokes or not. But this conversation should be done in a calm tone, avoiding anger and threats, thinking that you are an adult. First of all, the goal should be to get information about why he/she needs cigarettes and what the effects of smoking are, rather than how long he/she has been smoking. If there is peer pressure, this issue should be emphasized sensitively. It is very important to convey in a calm tone that you do not approve of smoking."
Emphasizing that punishing or preventing him from talking to his friends about this issue is not very appropriate behavior, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "It is only necessary to encourage him to make decisions individually and that it does not matter what his friends' behavior is. If you think that addiction has developed, you should definitely cooperate in getting expert support and inform them that there is a treatment for this condition."