If youth smoking begins to increase again, it will be in spite of the fact that every year the habit kills more people than drugs, alcohol, AIDS, fires, homicide, suicide, and automobile accidents combined. It is necessary to keep giving teenagers a serious anti-smoking education, provided in ways that reflect their cultures and experiences. Debunk the myths that tobacco is necessary for stress reduction, an attractive appearance, and a good social life. Speak directly to girls, possibly in separate programs. Give them information showing the falseness of their beliefs that smoking will help them lose weight, make friends, and look sophisticated.
Smoking takes away a smoker's free choice.
Adolescents want to be in control of all areas of their lives. So show them how tobacco addiction takes away free will, particularly the ability to stop smoking, despite a smoker's desire to quit. Smoking is not an adult habit or an effective act of rebellion. Tell teenagers who want to resist controls on their lives that their target shouldn't be non-smoking adults. Instead, they should rebel against anyone who wants to hook them on a habit that is very hard to break.