The dangers of smoking also hit home when his father, a long-time smoker, died in 1996 from a heart attack. Yet Lader is atypical of most teen smokers. N.Y. And compared with adults, teens are less likely to be treated with antismoking aids, which have not been tested in young people. So parents trying to help a teen quit need to look for other tools.
Kids smoke to fit in, assert their maturity, rebel, control their appetite, and relieve stress.
If the smoking is stress related, figure out the source of the trouble and help the child find other ways to cope. Parents who smoke can set an example for their kids by quitting. Hurley says he has helped over 240 kids between the ages of 12 and 18 stop smoking in support groups that last three weeks. Kids set a quit date, work on stress management, and learn about smoking's long-term consequences. About one third have stayed away from cigarettes.