Parent Resource Center

Kids today may be influenced to smoke by many factors, including peer pressure, whether their family members smoke, and the media. Having one or two parents who smoke has a strong effect on a kid’s likelihood of smoking. Children of smokers are twice as likely to smoke as children the same age whose parents don’t smoke.11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2001). Changing adolescent smoking prevalence. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph 14, 87-89.

But research also shows that parents who make it clear that they disapprove of youth smoking have children who are less likely to smoke – even if those parents smoke.22. Jackson, C., & Henriksen, L. (1997). Do as I say: Parent smoking, antismoking socialization, and smoking onset among children. Addictive Behaviors, 22(1), 107-114.,33. Sargent, J.D. & Dalton, M. (2001). Does Parental Disapproval of Smoking Prevent Adolescents From Becoming Established Smokers? Pediatrics, 108(6):1256-1262. That’s why it’s particularly important for parents who smoke to talk to their kids about not smoking, even if the conversation may seem hard or awkward. Make it clear why you don’t want your child to smoke. Don’t be afraid to admit it if you wish you hadn’t started smoking. Your child will respect you for your honesty.

And remember that just because your children used to complain to you about your smoking doesn’t mean that they won’t try cigarettes themselves. Peer pressure and easy access to cigarettes can make some children start to experiment. That’s why all children need to know that their parents don’t want them to smoke.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

• If you discover that your kid may be smoking, act quickly. Children of smokers are more likely to go from experimenting with cigarettes to smoking regularly than the children of nonsmokers.44. Bricker, J.B. et al. (2006). Prospective prediction of children’s smoking transitions: role of parents’ and older siblings’ smoking. Addiction. 101:128-136.
• Talk about both the short-term and long-term consequences of smoking. Most teenagers are not as concerned about the long term health risks, so make sure you also talk about things like bad breath, smelly clothes, and poor performance in sports.
• Don’t leave cigarettes around the house. Easy access to tobacco may increase a child’s temptation to try smoking.
• Consider where you smoke – kids whose parents smoke anywhere, including inside the house and in front of them, are significantly more likely to smoke than kids whose parents smoke only when they are not around.55. Philip Morris USA Youth Smoking Prevention (2007). Teenage Attitudes and Behavior Study – 2006 Results.
• If you’re a smoker who has decided to quit, it can significantly reduce your kid’s likelihood of smoking. When both parents quit, the odds of their children becoming regular smokers goes down by about 40 percent.66. Bricker, J.B. et al. (2003). Nine-year prospective relationship between parental smoking cessation and children’s daily smoking. Addiction. 98:585-593.
• If you’ve tried to quit in the past, let your children know what that was like. Preteens and teens often greatly underestimate how difficult it is to quit smoking. If you’re trying to quit now, ask them to be supportive.
• Have clear and consistent rules about your children not smoking.
• Keep talking about the issue. Sometimes teenagers act like they’re not listening to you. Remember that they really are.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  www.cdc.gov/tobacco/youth/information_sheets/
  yuthfax1.htm
  www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/
  how_to_quit/index.htm
• National Cancer Institute
  www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco
• National Women’s Health Information Center
  www.4woman.gov/quitsmoking/parents/
• QuitAssist®
  www2.philipmorrisusa.com/en/quitassist/index_flash.asp

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Text in this section from: Tips for parents who smoke (2006)

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RELATED ACTIVITIES

• Tips For Parents Who Smoke

Facts At a Glance

Research shows that parents who make it clear that they disapprove of youth smoking have children who are less likely to smoke – even if those parents smoke.77. Jackson, C., & Henriksen, L. (1997). Do as I say: Parent smoking, antismoking socialization, and smoking onset among children. Addictive Behaviors, 22(1), 107-114.