Many teens experiment with smoking by trying a few cigarettes or a vape. Lots of them will stop after a bit of experimenting, but many others will become regular smokers.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) found that 90% of lifetime smoking in the UK starts between the ages of 10 and 20 years. The NHS says that those who smoke in childhood are more likely to continue smoking into adulthood.
Vaping using an e-cigarette can offer existing smokers a way to stop smoking, but an increasing number of teenagers are starting smoking with vapes rather than using them as a way to quit. Vapes contain harmful chemicals and create an addiction to nicotine that could make it more likely that your child starts smoking cigarettes in the future.
Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK. Smoking can increase the risk of developing over 50 serious health conditions and some can cause irreversible long-term damage.
The risks include:
Over time, smoking can lead to more serious health problems, such as:
The risks of vaping are unknown. While some may consider it safer than smoking, we just don’t know the long-term health risks for children and young people.
To view this content, you must be part of a school which has access to My Family Coach.
