Special Medical Reports Editorials 10 Steps to Keep the Children in Your Practice Nonsmokers Roger E. Thomas, M.D., Ph.D. University of Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Research over the past 30 years has shown that the key steps in preventing children from becoming habitual smokers are to dissuade them from trying the first cigarette, encourage them to choose friends who do not smoke and encourage the smokers in the child's family to quit. Family physicians should discuss the following 10 ideas with both the children in their practices and their parents during the years children are age five to age 15. Advise children to refuse cigarettes if they are offered.
Most smoking begins during the stressful transition to puberty and junior high.
1 One-half of all children will smoke one cigarette by age 10, and one in four will be smoking more than six cigarettes a week by age 15. Motivate parents to start talking with their children at five years of age about the importance of remaining a nonsmoker. Most children are motivated to refrain from smoking if they perceive that smoking threatens their appearance and immediate sports performance, not by the impact of smoking on their overall health. Parents who smoke should be told that tobacco smoke reaches every room in the house within 15 minutes, and that passive smoke causes respiratory infections, emphysema and all other effects of inhaled cigarettes. Tell parents that their advice to their children not to smoke is effective.