dangers of teenage smoking. Specifically, it will look at how teenagers begin smoking, and what can be done to help them quit.
THE DANGES OF TEENAGE SMOKING
The health hazards of smoking are well-known and documented. In 1992, over 400,000 people died from complications from smoking each year, including lung and throat cancer, stroke, and heart disease. The number today is even higher. Additionally, some studies have also shown that starting to smoke as a teenager has the potential to permanently damage lung tissue.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has shown that smoking in the teenage years causes dramatic and lifelong DNA damage in the lungs. In fact, the young smokers could be at a permanently higher risk of developing lung cancer, even if they later quit (Editors).
Teenagers begin smoking for a variety of reasons, including peer pressure and a concerted effort by advertisers to acquire…...
mlaReferences
Boseley, Sarah. "Film Icons Blamed for Teenage Smoking." The Guardian. 27 Feb. 2001. 20 Oct. 2002. http://society.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4142939,00.html
Breznicky, Steven, Anthony DiPietro, Lisa Fischer, Jessica Givner, Jennifer Lage and Carol Sarmiento. "Smoking Handbook: Teenage Smoking." Eastchester Middle School. 2002. 20 Oct. 2002. http://www.westnet.com/~rickd/smoke/smoke6.html
Brook, Judith S. "Cigarette Smoking in Young Adults: Childhood and Adolescent Personality, Familial, and Peer Antecedents." Journal of Genetic Psychology 158.2 (1997): 172-188.
Douglas, Stratford. "The Duration of the Smoking Habit." Economic Inquiry XXXVI.1 (1998): 49-64.
e. managerial, social, political, economic benefits are linked to the study's results) the proposed helpful outcomes are realistic (i.e. dealing with questions that can actually be answered through the type of data gathering and analysis you're proposing. The suggested helpful outcomes do not go beyond the data that's to be collected).
The increase in teen smoking may be abating, or may be taking a pause before it continues the climb seen in the past 10 years, from 1996 to 2005. In either case, reducing smoking at an early age has a lifelong effect on individuals' health, and can lead to better quality of life for millions of people who might otherwise take up smoking. A secondary benefit is that lessons learned may help to reduce the current 3.1 million teen smokers, many of whom try smoking and quit -- it would be useful to know why they started in the first…...
mlaBibliography
Bobo, J.H. (2000). Sociocultural Influences on Smoking and Drinking. Alcohol Research & Health, 225-234.
Cooper, T.K. (2003). A prospective evaluation of the relationships between smoking dosage and body mass index in an adolescent, biracial cohort. Addictive Behaviors, 501-512.
Falba, T. (2005). Health events and the smoking cessation of middle aged Americans. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, n.p.
Gies, C.B. (2007). Effect of an Inpatient Nurse-Directed Smoking Cessation Program. Western Journal of Nursing Research, n.p.
In here, the teens are seeking for adventure and experiment with different ideas. During this time, the adolescent battles over his own set of values vs. The set established by parents and other adult figures. They also begin to take on more control of educational and vocational pursuits and advantages. It is during this time that adolescents' self-dependence and a sense of responsibility become apparent, along with their quest to contribute to society and find their place in it.
With the way they respond to peer pressure, social demands and other factors that lead to irresponsible actions, teens should know their consequences. Excessive drinking, smoking and drugs can cause damage to vital organs including liver, lungs, heart and pancreas. It can also cause death, not only of the person who consumed such but of a third party as well. Drinking while driving may cause an accident or worse, even death…...
mlaBibliography
Robert Sherman. (2003). Teenage Behavior Problems - Parental Interventions
Retrieved April 22, 2007. At http://www.character-education.us/interventions.htm
Teenage Risk-taking: Biological and Inevitable? (2007). Retrieved April 22, 2007 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070412115231.htm
Adolescence. (2007). Retrieved April 22, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolescence
Teen Girls and Media
Because of its pervasiveness, mass media such as magazines and television programs are increasingly in a position to influence the behavior and attitudes of teenage girls. In fact, television programs such as ER and sports-oriented teen magazines have been lauded for providing girls with positive role models.
Unfortunately, these programs and magazines remain the exception rather than the rule. Rather than promote healthy lifestyles or give positive role models, much of the media targeted to teens are both physically and psychologically harmful. This paper examines two of these main effects - the promotion of unhealthy habits and lifestyles and the growing tendency of these media to sexualize teens and turn them into consumers.
Unhealthy habits
For noted feminist Germaine Greer, the popularity of television shows such as Baywatch represent a growing pandemic, where all women are expected to conform to an unrealistic body shape. Greer terms this pandemic as "body…...
mlaWorks Cited
Brumberg, Joan Jacobs and Jacquelyn Jackson. "The Burka and the Bikini." Boston Globe, November 23, 2001: A31.
Downey, Maureen. "Media give narrow view of women, study finds." The Atlanta Constitution, April 30, 1997: D11+.
Gardner, Marilyn. "Children and body images." Christian Science Monitor. December 16, 1998: 17+.
Gerhart, Ann. "Nipped in the Bud." The Washington Post, June 23, 1999: C01.
Over the last five years research has indicated that the brain of an adolescent is not as developed as researchers once thought. In fact, advances in technology have made it possible to further examine the development of the human brain. esearchers have found that part of the frontal lobe, referred to as the pre-frontal cortex that is believed to be the management center for the body, is not fully developed in adolescents (Sowell et al., 2001; Cobb, 1998). The article explains that the lack of development in this part of the brain explains some of the behaviors that are displayed by teenagers because it is responsible for advanced cognition ("Adolescence, Brain Development..,"2004). Advanced cognition permits human beings to prioritize thoughts, visualize, think in the abstract, predict consequences, plan, and manage impulses ("Adolescence, Brain Development..,"2004). With these things being understood the underdevelopment of this part of the brain could explain…...
mlaReferences
Achenbach T.M. (1978). "Psychopathology of childhood: Research problems and issues." Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46,759-776.
Adams, Gerald R., Raymond Montemayor, and Thomas
Gullota, eds. Psychosocial Development during Adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publications (1996).
Adolescence, Brain Development and Legal Culpability. (2004) Juvenile Justice Center
Teenage Drinking
How can the trend toward increased alcohol consumption in teenagers be reduced? The answer to this critical societal question is being addressed by a number of researchers. It is believed that advertising offers a potential explanation for the rise.
In 1999, the .S. Federal Trade Commission called for the alcohol industry to modify its practices in order to limit underage exposure to alcohol advertising (Federal Trade Commission [FTC], 1999). According to a report by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY, 2002), however, the industry may not have responded. According to guidelines announced in September 2003 by the Beer Institute and the Distilled Spirits Council of the nited States, underage youth should not constitute more than 30% of the audience for alcohol advertisements. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown niversity recently found that more than 25% of the radio commercials that aired for alcohol in…...
mlaU.S. Federal Trade Commission (1999). FTC Reports on Industry Efforts to Avoid Promoting Alcohol to Underage Consumers (FTC Press Release). Available: / 1999/9909/alcoholrep.htm. Retrieved: November 20, 2002http://www.ftc.gov/opa
US Newswire (2003) " African-American Youth Overexposed to Alcohol Advertising, According to Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth." 1066.
US Newswire ( 2003) "Hispanic Youth Exposed to More Alcohol Advertising Than Non-Hispanic Youth, Report Finds." 1008.
Stages of Change Model: 43-year-old Smoker
The first stage of the Transtheoretical Stages of Change model is that of pre-contemplation, in which the client is still not fully committed to the need to taking action to make a necessary change. In the case of a 43-year-old smoker who began smoking in childhood, the smoker may be reluctant to commit to change because of a history of failed attempts. At this stage, the counselor would need to give the smoker options to convince the client that the next time will be different—for example, the use of medications, patches, or supportive group or individual counseling, versus going cold turkey. Asking questions such as, “What needs does smoking serve in your life,” may be useful, to identify the social and physical needs smoking has fulfilled. A typical, Caucasian resident of the United States who has resided in the US for the entirety of his…...
Generation 'Rx'
When one thinks of teens and drugs, illegal substances such as marijuana and cocaine immediately come to mind. However, the real culprits aren't the drug pushers in the school yards; it's the medicine cabinets in their own homes. A national study has revealed that today's teens are more likely to have abused a prescription painkiller to get high than they are to have experimented with a variety of illegal drugs; 'Generation Rx' has arrived. Although this fact is initially surprising, when one reviews the reasons why teens turn to marijuana, one can easily see why prescription drugs have become even more popular.
The reasons teens use marijuana, repeated below, are even truer for prescription drugs.
Parents don't discuss the danger of drugs with their children.
Teens are left with less adult supervision because of societal changes.
Young people have more access now than they had ever had before.
Youth are receiving the message by…...
mlaBibliography
Teens becoming 'Generation Rx'" CNN 22 Apr. 2005. Available:
24 Apr. 2005).http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/parenting/04/21/drug.survey.ap/(Accessed
Use Of Drugs Among Teens And The Reasons Why They Use It." Available:
(Accessed 24 Apr. 2005).http://www.casacanada.com/drug3.html
Help her to realize that having a child may interfere with her future career, but that many mothers have successful home and job lives. There are an infinite number of options, and a determined teenager can find a way to success. Do not skirt around the issues of danger, however, as teenagers are more likely to miscarry or have other complications with their pregnancy such as premature labor and low birth weight of the child. Teenage mothers are more likely to need bedrest during the late stages of pregnancy, and a cesarian section during birthing, and the child is at greater risk for any number of complications.
Of course, while supporting a pregnant teen is vital, the key to solving the problems faced by teenagers dealing with pregnancy is to stop it before it happens.
Provide accurate and unashamed information about sex and pregnancy to children and teenagers, and encourage other…...
mlaBibliography
Adolescent Anger and Aggression." Psychiatric Institute of Washington. 2001. http://www.psychinstitute.com/mental_illness/adol_anger.html
Combat Teenage Sexual Abuse." NSPCC. 2001. http://www.nspcc.org.uk/html/home/informationresources/combatteenagesexualabuse.htm
Getting a Sexually Transmitted Disease." Frequently Asked Questions. American Social Health Association. http://www.iwannaknow.org/faqs/getting.html
Lamprecht, Catherine. "Talking to your Child about STDs." KidsHealth. Nemours Foundation. 2001. http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=171&article_set=23006
In addition, smoking is addictive, and the earlier a person starts, the more likely they are to continue, making it more difficult to quit as one ages. Young people do not understand smoking, because they tend to have an "it will not happen to me" mentality, and it should not be available to teens, you should have to be an adult to make the choice to smoke, because it is a health choice, as well as a lifestyle choice.
In conclusion, smoking is hazardous to your health and well-being, and that has been proven. People start to smoke too early in life, and then they find it difficult to quit. The earlier you start smoking, the longer smoke can do damage to your lungs, making it more likely you will develop lung disease such as emphysema or lung cancer. Smoking is no less dangerous than drinking, it can harm others by…...
If a driver ignored a road sign that said "Danger: Bridge Out!" and proceeded along the street, he would be labeled as an idiot by his community. If a fence had a sign on it that read, "arning: Vicious Dogs" and some adventure-seeking teens climbed that fence, no one would be surprised when they had their legs torn off by a pack of pit bulls. However, every single year 400,000 Americans die[1] from ignoring one of the most infamous warnings: The Surgeon General's warning on cigarette packages. Smoking cigarettes may seem to be a part of the definition of being an American-- everyone from the street punk rebels to the successful big business CEOs are automatically visualized with a cigarette or fat Cuban cigar hanging from their mouths. These smokers see themselves as a better person for the momentary pleasure they receive from these tobacco products, but fail to realize…...
mlaWorks Cited.
The American Cancer Society. Who Is At Risk? "Tobacco and Cancer." 2001.
The American Heart Association. Publications and Resources. "Tobacco Smoke."
California Department of Health Services. Youth Media Network. "Effects of Secondhand Smoke." November 2001.
Emphysema Foundation For Our Right to Survive. Medical Info Pages. "About Smoking With Emphysema." January 2002.
EDUCING ISKY BEHAVIO FO African-American TEENS
An Intervention for educing isky Behavior Among African-American Female Adolescents: Provider Cultural Competency Training
The Office of Minority Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2013) quotes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a way to introduce the topic of updating and enhancing the National CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) Standards. The quote is "Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane" (p. 14). Long recognized as a significant problem in the United States, health inequity along social, economic, racial, and ethnic boundaries has become a central focus of health care policy in this country. Although health care providers have little control over the historical determinants of discrimination in the U.S. they can work towards eliminating health disparities that exist through cultural competency. In addition to the ethical and moral rationale for attaining this goal,…...
mlaReferences
Aronowitz, T. & Agbeshie, E. (2012). Nature of communication: Voices of 11- to 14-year-old African-American girls and their mothers in regard to talking about sex. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 35(2), 75-89.
Aronowitz, T. & Eche, I. (2013). Parenting strategies African-American mothers employ to decrease sexual risk behaviors in their early adolescent daughters. Public Health Nursing, 30(4), 279-87.
CDC. (2012). HIV and AIDS among African-American youth. Retrieved 2 Feb. 2014 from: .
CDC. (2013). HIV among African-Americans: Fast facts. Retrieved 2 Feb. 2014 from: .
Drug Use in Adolescents
The author of this report has been charged with writing a brief scholarly report with a few key components. The author of this report has been asked to select a topic of interest. That selected topic shall be substance and drug abuse in adolescents. As part of this scholarly report, there will be three major components. The first will be a description of the area of interest and why the author of this report is interested in it. Second, there will be a brief literature review with scholarly sources that cover that same topic. Finally, there will be a reflection and reaction to the literature review including whether there was agreement, how the author of this report perceives the involved paradigm(s) and so forth. While many kids avoid the pitfalls and negative outcomes of drug use and abuse, many fall prey sometimes or many times and the…...
mlaReferences
Jaynes, S. (2014). Using Social Disorganization Theory to Guide Substance Abuse
Prevention among Adolescents: Implications for Educators. Journal Of At-Risk
Issues, 18(1), 35-40.
Lanza, H.I., Grella, C.E., & Chung, P.J. (2014). Does Adolescent Weight Status
Smoking becomes a symbol of anti-cultural rebellion and even more so it takes on the symbol of something holy unrealistic and undesirable. The basic affect is to create a sense of empowerment as a result of smoking they feel that they are now better than they were before, in both a sense of adulthood as well as "counter-culture" mentality. Teenagers all desire to rebel against the normalcy of society, this is a natural response to the restrictions that society institutes upon teenagers. The decision to "go against the grain" is one that teenagers make in subtle and forthright ways, whether it takes the form of not doing homework or arguing with parents. Smoking has become such a controversial subject, through it's almost bombardment of health information and anti-smoking campaigns, that it epitomizes the one thing that youth can do to fight against the establishment. This becomes a crucial reason…...
mlaWorks Cited
Canada Tries Tough Smoking Labels, http://www.discount-cigars-store.com/news/canada_tries_tough_smoking_labels.htm
Dichter, Earnest, Why Do We Smoke Cigarettes?, the Psychology of Everyday Living,1947
Facts & Figures: Cigarette Smoking in Canada, Individual and Population Health, Canadian University,2000.
Kaiserman, Murray J, the Cost of Smoking in Canada, 1991, Chronics Diseases in Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Volume 18, No.1 -1997
Toward an Effective olution
In principle, the most effective solution to the tremendous problem of cigarette smoking in the U.. would simply be to impose legislation banning the manufacture, sale, or consumption of cigarettes altogether. In fact, it is impossible to justify any logical distinction between the current illegal status of marijuana (at the federal level and in almost all of the individual states) and the fact that a slightly different cultivated vegetation that is empirically linked to almost half a million preventable premature deaths annually is still perfectly legal to market at great financial profits. However, from a practical perspective, the U.. already had experience during the Prohibition era of the 1920s with the difficulties of trying to ban alcohol. In addition to widespread violation by otherwise law-abiding citizens, that ban created such a tremendous opportunity for profit associated with the black market production and distribution of alcohol that the…...
mlaSources Cited
Anderson, S., Ling, P., and Pollay, R. "Taking Ad-vantage of Consumers: Advertising
Light Cigarettes: Reassuring and Distracting Concerned Smokers"
Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 63, No. 8 (2006): 1973-1985.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Smoking and Tobacco Use: Health
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