PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — There have been decades of warnings that smoking can kill, but there's a disturbing trend fueled by celebrities among young people that parents need to be aware of.
KDKA's John Shumway looks at young people, smoking and vaping.
There's some good news and some bad news, so let's start with some words of encouragement.
“Youth smoking rates are at an all-time low, with approximately 2% smoking cigarettes,” said Robin Koval, president and CEO of Truth Initiative.
But vaping is a different story, Koval said.
“One recent survey put it at 14.1%, which is actually a little more than last year,” Koval said. “So the issue of youth and tobacco and nicotine remains a very concerning issue.”
And that increase is partially driven by celebrity images like social media and movies.
“It normalizes all the negative behaviors like smoking, drinking, and drug use,” said Sara Banks, clinical director of the Cranberry Psychology Center.
Banks says that can easily attract young people to dangerous habits.
“People continue to pick it up because it's glorified among celebrities,” Banks says.
And this expansion is particularly evident in shows such as “Stranger Things.''
“There was never, and never has been, a strange occurrence where someone wasn't smoking,” Banks said.
Koval says it's unnecessary and dangerous.
“For example, when young people watch footage of smoking on streaming TV, they are three times more likely to start vaping,” Koval said.
You don't have to struggle to find images of smoking or vaping on Instagram or TikTok. There's a lot of imagery out there, and it starts in the youth's wheelhouse.
Here in Pennsylvania, the metrics are slightly above the national average for both tobacco and e-cigarette use.
Here are some suggestions from experts on how parents can help children wean themselves from the habit.
Banks says to remember that you're dealing with peer pressure and encourage yourself to immerse yourself in the right group of friends.
She also suggests pointing out that it makes you wrinkled, makes you smell bad, and makes you less attractive to the opposite sex.
There is also a program called “This Is Quitting” offered by Truth Initiatives. This is a texting program that currently helps over 600,000 people. YOUTH CAN TEXT HER DITCHVAPE TO 88709 FOR HELP.
