« Backtalk | Main | Calling voters is a key part of campaign strategy »

October 25, 2007

More risk to smoking

If America's youngsters need another reason to not smoke cigarettes -- beyond the increased risk of lung cancer and emphysema -- the results of a report by Columbia University certainly gives it to them.

Research released last week by the institution's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse highlights additional evidence that links youth smoking to substance abuse, and points out how nicotine affects teenagers' brains.

Most people are well aware that smoking is an unhealthy habit that can lead to debilitating illness and even death, but how many realize that smoking at an early age can trigger a susceptibility to drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness?

Columbia University's report cited scientific studies that show the nicotine in tobacco products -- cigarettes, cigars, chew, etc. -- can produce structural and chemical changes in the developing brain that make youngsters more vulnerable to addiction and mental-health problems.

This information should prompt considerable concern among parents whose children have started smoking cigarettes. Tobacco use should not be considered a youthful folly that can be dealt with later. Not only is smoking illegal for youngsters, it is now shown to be detrimental to brain development and can lead to a lifetime of struggle and heartache.
Columbia's researchers found that the younger a child is when he or she starts smoking, the greater the risk of underage drinking and other drug abuse.

The statistics are alarming. Children who start smoking by age 12 are three times more likely to binge on alcohol, nearly 15 times more likely to smoke marijuana, and almost seven times more likely to use hard-core drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

This report proves, once again, that parents cannot turn a blind eye to their children's infractions, even if the child claims he or she rarely smokes. An occasional cigarette can quickly become a habit, which in turn can harm brain development and lead to a lifetime of regret.

Posted by Admin at October 25, 2007 2:23 PM