- Child, Youth & Family Health
- Before the Baby is Born
- Baby's First Year
- Preschool (1-3)
- School Age (4-9)
- Youth
- Child Health - General Topics
- Advisories, Warnings and Recalls
- Allergies to Food
- Bonding with Your Child
- Breastfeeding
- Bullying Prevention
- Child Care
- Child Immunization
- Children with Special Needs
- Discipline Your Child
- Family Visitor Program
- Formula Feeding
- Growth Charts
- Head Lice
- Healthy Children Info Line
- Mealtime Struggles and Prevention
- Oral Health
- Positive Parenting
- School Based Programs
- Weaning Baby or Toddler
- Healthy Living & Health Protection
- Advisories, Warnings and Recalls
- Air Quality
- Alcohol & Drug Use
- Alcohol Related Topics
- Drug Related Topics
- Drug Use, Drinking & Driving
- Effects of Alcohol & Drug Use
- Information for Parents & Youth
- Information for Professionals
- Prevention & Treatment Resources
- Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Substance Use
- Profile of Those Who Drink & Use Drugs
- Safe Party Planning
- Where to Get Help
- Bed Bugs
- Cancer Prevention
- Dental Health
- Domestic Violence
- Emergency Medical Services
- Environmental Health
- Food Safety & Inspection Results
- Infection Control in Institutions
- Infectious Diseases
- Lyme Disease
- Nutrition
- Older Adults
- Physical Activity
- Rabies
- Safety & Injury Prevention
- Sexual Health
- Smoking
- Sun Protection
- Travel Health
- Water Quality
- West Nile Virus
- Workplace Health
- Clinics, Classes & Events
- Clinics
- Classes & Education
- Building on Your Strengths (B.O.Y.S.)
- CAN-BIKE
- Families & Schools Together (FAST)
- Food Safety Certificate
- Girl Time
- Growing Bodies Open Minds
- Growing Healthy Two-gether
- Me? Breastfeed?
- Nobody's Perfect
- Prenatal Classes for Youth
- Preparing for Parenthood
- Puberty Education Workshops for Teachers
- Routine Universal Comprehensive Screening
- Events & Health Fairs
- Research, Resources & Publications
- Partners & Professionals
Youth & Smoking
Health Canada reports that fewer teens and young adults are smoking. In fact, Smoke-FX notes that more than 70% of Canadian teens don't smoke.
The benefits of staying smoke-free now stack up. Ninety per cent of adult smokers started before age 16; so if you don't smoke as a teen, the odds are that you won't start later.
Facts About Smoking
Teens may try smoking because their friends and/or their parents smoke, they think it's cool, they're curious, and they think it relaxes them…but the truth is:
Smoking Is A Waste of Money
Smoking a 1/2 pack a day costs you about $100 dollars a month - more than $1000 a year. Do the math using Health Canada's site and see where your money could be spent instead.
The Tobacco Industry Targets Youth
"We don't smoke that sh**; we just sell it. We reserve that for the young, the black, the poor and the stupid." - RJ Reynolds Executive.
Smoking Isn't Normal
For years the tobacco industry has promoted smoking as normal. Tobacco industry denormalization (TID) is an effort to let people in on the truth that tobacco use has clear health risks and that the tobacco industry has been selling us a lie. Check out Stupid.ca website to learn more.
What You're Breathing In When You Smoke Is Dangerous
When you smoke, you are breathing in: tar, nicotine, benzene, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, and much, much more. Health Canada has the full list available here.
Smoking Causes Addiction
Nicotine in tobacco is as addictive as heroin and 8 out of 10 teens who smoke will get hooked.
Smoking Makes You Sick
Smokers are at increased risk for heart attacks, circulatory problems, aortic aneurysm, high blood pressure, high cholesterol (LDL), lung cancer, cancer of the mouth, throat and voice box, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the kidney and urinary bladder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, influenza (the "flu"), the common cold, peptic ulcers, chronic bowel disease (Crohn's Disease), tooth decay (cavities), gum disease, osteoporosis, sleep problems (falling asleep inappropriately and/or frequent waking), cataracts, thyroid disease (Grave's Disease).
See Health Canada for more details about the health concerns of smoking.
Smoking Kills Smokers and Non-smokers
Health Canada reports that "Unless they quit, up to half of all smokers will die from their smoking, most of them before their 70th birthday and only after years of suffering a reduced quality of life." If you are a non-smoker who is exposed to second-hand smoke, your risk of getting lung cancer or developing heart disease increases by 20%.
Additional Information & Resources
Teens and Young Adults
Want to learn more or get involved in local projects? Check out:
Stupid.ca - a website for Ontario youth who want to be informed about the effects of smoking and want to stand up to the tobacco industry and make sure they know that we can't be fooled.
Teachers
Check out Lungs Are for Life website. This free school program is offered by the Lung Association to help Ontario teachers provide smoking prevention education to students in kindergarten through grade 12.
Health Canada has rated Lungs Are for Life as one of the top three smoking prevention programs in the country. This program meets the expectations in the new Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum and is endorsed as an educationally valid resource by the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA).
To ensure success, the program has been field-tested in over 250 classrooms across Ontario.
Parents
It's up to us as parents to help our children understand from an early age that smoking is dangerous and deadly. Let them know how serious the addiction to nicotine is and educate them about the risks associated with smoking.
For more information, check the Smoking and Your Teenager section on the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport website.
Lungs Are for Life - a school program offered by the Lung Association - has a section for parents with tips on how to keep your kids smoke-free.
