The non-profit organization Rock In Prevention uses music to address various matters impacting youth. Rock In Prevention is particularly active in dealing with bullying and abuse of substances such as alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.
Every year, nearly half a million Americans die from cigarettes, including 41,000 from secondhand smoke inhalation. Diseases and other health conditions caused by tobacco cost Americans in excess of $300 billion. Understanding the dire health and financial consequences of tobacco use, it becomes critical for parents, teachers, and other role models to educate youth on the dangers of smoking before they develop the habit.
There are several ways to approach the subject of tobacco use with children, including by setting a good example for them. Because children are impressionable, it can be difficult to dissuade them from engaging in a behavior or an activity practiced by a family member or other role model.
Adults must also understand that smoking is often a form of social interaction and that many teens try it as a way to fit in with their peers. Since most educated children understand the dangers of smoking, adults must also address the social reasons behind its initial use.
While smoking might be socially acceptable to some, adults can point out that, because it results in bad breath, poor body odor, unattractive skin, and yellow teeth, it is a turnoff for most children and teens. Similarly, adults can highlight the fact that it is an expensive habit.
