Each day 3,000 teenagers in the United States smoke their first cigarette, roughly six million of these teens will become regular cigarette smokers, and out of those 3,000 teens that start smoking each day almost 1,000 of them will die as a result of smoking.
Teenagers today know the risks of smoking and the long term health effects it can have on them. The knowledge is available to them in health classes, on news programs, and is even shared with them by adults. Despite all the risks of smoking teenagers still cannot see all the negative effects. Not only is smoking cigarettes bad because of the effects it has on a teenagers body, it is also bad because statistics show it can lead to other alcohol and drug use.
According to the Surgeon’s General teenagers who smoke are three times more likely to use alcohol, eight times as likely to smoke marijuana, and twenty-two times as likely to use cocaine. In the United States it is known that twenty percent of all teenagers smoke. Cbsnews informs that Maine is the state with the highest amount of teenage smokers; an astonishing 17.6% of teenagers in Maine are heavy smokers. Maine is followed by Kentucky with 14.2% and then Delaware with 13.7%.
Many people wonder why teenagers continue to start smoking if they already know the risks.
“I think students start because of peer pressure or wanting to look “cool”,” said Naugatuck High School Principal, Jan Saam. ” Students at a young age don’t think about the health risks 20 or 30 years down the road.”
Frank Savo Jr., Principal of Oxford High School, agreed that peer pressure had a lot do with teenagers starting to smoke. Statistics show that if a teens best friend smokes they are 13 times more likely to smoke as well. Not only does having friends who smoke have an impact on a teenagers decision, but so does having parents who smoke. If a teenager has two parents who both smoke cigarettes they are twice as likely as teens without parents who smoke to start smoking.
At some high schools smoking is a problem. However, in Connecticut it seems that the problem is not that challenging. Both Saam and Savo reported that they do not have any problems with smoking inside their school buildings at this time. However, if a student is caught smoking in any high school or on any school grounds there are consequences.
“It depends on the number of offenses for smoking. The first offense is usually a detention. Subsequent offenses will earn an ISS or OSS depending on the frequency. If the student is under 18, a “ticket” from the police Resource Officer can be issued for underage tobacco use/possession,” said Saam.
At Oxford High School the rules were a bit more strict with Savo stating that any student caught smoking could receive an ISS, OSS, or possible police summons.
As far as at Woodland, the consequences for smoking are similar to those of Naugatuck High School.
“I believe that discipline related to a student smoking on school grounds or at school-sponsored events should be progressive. For example, after the first time, a student could be given a detention. The second offense could be a suspension from school for 1-2 days. A third offense could be suspension for up to ten days,” said Superintendent of Region 16, Tim James.
Each school also has their own ways in which they help the students who do smoke. At Oxford High School they use health classes and a Smoke Stoppers Program in order to aid their students. At Naugatuck High School they offer a Smoke Stoppers group twice a year. While at Woodland represents from Yale come and ask students to join a program where they can be paid to stop smoking.
While there is no way to ensure teenagers will stop smoking there are ways schools are trying to help. By giving consequences and making helpful programs available to their students, school faculty members are doing their best to try to end this harmful epidemic that continues to sweep across our nation.
