Cigarette Smoking Among Adolescent Australians And The Risks That Come Along With It

Tobacco has and still is the most important public health issue faced in Australia and internationally. (Jochelson, 2006). Many countries such as North America, England, Australia, Canada and Ireland have introduced policies regarding smoking in public areas and restriction of smoking in indoor areas. (Thomson, Wilson & Edwards, 2009). The government, community leaders and policy makers work towards introducing policies that will stop consumers from smoking in public areas. (Pizacani, maher, Rohde, Drach & Stark, 2012). Government intervention should extend public smoking bans so that second hand smokers can be safe, a better environment and less death incidents relating to smoking.

Adolescence is a time where adolescents grow and mature at a rapid rate. It is also a time where adolescents are more vulnerable to taking risks, such as using and becoming addicted to illegal substances, due to raging hormones. Whether or not an adolescent chooses to engage in drug use and abuse depends on their home environment and those they choose to associate themselves with. Adolescents are confronted with an enormous amount of pressure to participate in risky behaviors by their peers. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2015), “risky behaviors are behaviors that constitute a departure from socially accepted norms or behaviors that pose a threat to the well-being of individuals or groups” (p. 389). One such risky behavior is drug use and addiction. Some adolescents use cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs in order to get “high”. Adolescents who engage in drug use are likely to become addicted, and thus, their addiction will negatively affect their brain development.

In the United States, smoking cigarettes is the number one preventable cause of morbidity and death (Bergen, 1999), and accounts for $300 Billion in health care costs and economic productivity loss (Jamal, 2015). While the national smoking rate is 16.8% (CDC, 2016), specific demographics are more susceptible to developing smoking habits: people who live below the poverty line (10.9% higher), disabled or with a limitation (6.2% higher), and males (4.7% higher) (Agaku, 2014).

Substance abuse isn’t a new thing. Long ago since the start of human history, people have looked for ways to alter our consciousness with the use of herbs, alcohol and drugs.

A drug is a substance that alters the mind, body or both. Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in colleges today. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, the years most crucial in the maturation process (Shiromoto 5). During these years adolescents are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer

One could argue that it’s perfectly natural and normal to want to try new things, such as getting high or drunk for the first time. However, others would argue – and wisely so – that adolescents, by virtue of their young age and lack of life experience, aren’t prepared for the consequences that often follow.” (PTC)

Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in today's high schools. Most drug use begins in the teenage years, these years are the most crucial in the maturing process. During these years adolescents are faced with the difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority figures and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and

The teenage years can be some of the most confusing times in a person’s life. During these years of life, one may begin to experiment with risky choices such as turning to drugs and alcohol for means of fun. What he does not know at that point, is this “harmless fun” can turn into a severe, life-long problem if he is not careful. Youth who are exposed to drugs and alcohol are not only susceptible to the health risks that come with using them, but are also put in a position to become addicted to the substances.

Substance use is commonly seen during the adolescence period. Adolescent are found engaging in alcohol, smoking, and other drug use. However, the use of the substance is leading to health damage. Ultimately, “in the long term could lead to widespread disease.”

An estimated 36.5 million or 15.1 % of adults aged 18 years old and older currently smoke cigarettes and more than 16,000,000 have smoking or live with diseases that are related to smoking. According to US department of health and human services, over the past five decades, there is a significant decline in cigarette smoking in the U.S. The progress has slowed in recent years and the prevalence of use of other tobacco products such as vapes, e-cigars and smokeless tobacco

‘’ Tobacco smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in Australia” (Cancer Council, 2006). The 2003 Australian Burden of disease study considers tobacco smoking as a leading cause of disease burden in Australia (Begg S, 2003). Anti-Cancer Council of Australia conducted its first national survey which shows that during the middle of last century, large numbers of males aged 16 and over were smokers and compared to females. However, in the following decades, the prevalence of smoking decreased among males due to publicity regarding health effects of smoking which first started in 1950s and early 1960s (Gray N and Hill D, 1975). According to the survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of statistics in

Young people have on recreational drug experimentation is mixed. Some, if not most young adults and teens believe that drugs are bad. Nevertheless, there are always those who see nothing wrong with ‘living’ a little’.

In the year of 2010, 15.1% of Australian aged over 14 years were regular smokers, decreasing from 16.6% in 2007 and from 24.3% in 1991. One-quarter of the whole population were people who used to smoke and more than half had never smoked. Smoking currency is largest amongst 18-40-year-olds, and this group set a primary target audience for the National Tobacco Campaign (2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey).

The tobacco industry kills more people in North America from Monday to Thursday of each week than the terrorists murdered in total on September 11, 2001. That sounds unrealistic, doesn’t it? Well, smoking is an epidemic that affects us all, whether you are a smoker or you aren’t. In order to stop this epidemic, we need to

Tobacco; one of the most profitable products in history, an addictive substance, and a deadly killer. Smoking tobacco used to be a thing that was endorsed in American society. Now, with the new medical advances and knowledge, society has seen the side effects of smoking and how fatal it actually is. Teenagers have been one of the largest age groups that have been affected by smoking. After analyzing all possible reasons as to why teenagers would smoke while knowing it can affect their health, three possible reasons stuck out the most. Teenagers smoke despite knowing the health problems that originate from smoking because of peer pressure, an “invincibility” mentality, and seeing a role model or family member smoke.