Many parents don't think about the consequences, or think that it won't happen to them, but what about their kids? They are watching their role models smoke, and it's only natural for them to want to do the same.



Every day over four thousand kids between the ages of twelve and seventeen start to smoke for the first time. They start for all sorts of reasons, but one of them is because their parents smoke too.

They may also start because of peer pressure. Peers are one of the most important things in a young adult's life. They want to feel accepted, and if their friends smoke, they will feel the pressure to do the same.

Some start out of curiosity. They see others smoke, and want to know what it feels like to do it themselves. Some just do it out of rebellion. Young teens like to piss off their parents. It's in their nature to rebel against your authority and to try and carve out a place in the world for themselves.

Some do it to be more adult like. They see themselves as adults, although they clearly are not, and so they try to adopt adult traits.

As a parent, it is your job to warn them about the dangers of smoking. To make sure that they understand that smoking can cause cancer, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and a whole host of other medical problems.

It makes your job even harder, if you come off as a hypocrite. How can you preach to them about smoking, if you've got a cigarette clamped in your own lips? It's probably not going to work.

Smoking not only causes serious health problems, but it also makes you smell bad, have yellow teeth, makes it easier to catch colds and flu's and costs a small fortune.

Most teens can't afford to smoke, but will try to find a way to obtain the cigarettes once addicted. This could lead to them stealing from you, or others.

If you smoke, you could use the savings from quitting smoking toward your kids. Isn't that a far better use of your money?

No matter what angle you look at it from, smoking is a bad deal. Health wise, kid w