Smoking has been linked with many serious illnesses. It's also been shown to increase signs of aging. When you smoke, your breathing becomes shallow, and your lungs fill with smoke. This means you get less air. Cigarettes also fill your body with chemicals, such as nicotine and tar.
Smoking can:
Make other people not want to be around you
Make people feel like they're kissing an ashtray
Make you, your clothes, your car, and your surroundings stink
Make some people not want to date you
Hear the facts about smoking from those who have been doing it for a few years. Find 1 or 2 smokers. Ask a few questions. See if their answers sound something like these:
“Not really. It seemed cool then. Now I worry about cancer and problems like that. And it's expensive. A pack of cigarettes can cost more than $10."
“Maybe I feel better for a few minutes. But it sure hasn’t solved any of my problems.”
“Yes, I try to quit all the time—but it’s hard.”
Find helpful tips and resources to help you quit smoking at:
The CDC at www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/ 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
Smokefree Teen at https://teen.smokefree.gov/become-smokefree/tools-for-quitting 877-44U-QUIT (877-448-7848)
The American Lung Association at www.lung.org/stop-smoking/ 800-LUNGUSA (800-586-4872)