Kids and smoking

Most people start using tobacco before they finish high school. This means that if you stay smoke-free in school, you will probably never smoke.

Most teens who smoke are addicted to nicotine. They want to quit smoking, but they can't . When they try to quit, they experience nasty withdrawal symptoms -- just like adults do.

Tobacco is often the first drug used by kids who use alcohol and illegal drugs like marijuana.

Kids who start smoking are more likely to get lower grades in school. They tend to hang out with other kids who smoke. They may have a low self-image, and they don't know how to say no to tobacco.

Cigarette advertisements are designed to make people think that smoking is cool and that everybody does it. These misleading ads appear to increase kids' risk of smoking.

Finally, here's some good news! People working in their communities -- kids who warn each other about the dangers of smoking, for example, and programs that make it harder for stores to sell cigarettes to kids -- are helping to keep kids away from tobacco.