Teenage smokers do permanent damage to their lungs.
In the United States, the legal age to purchase a pack of cigarettes is 18 years old. According to Dr. Larissa Hirsch, M.D., on the Children, Youth, and Women's Health Service website, 90 percent of individuals who smoke started using tobacco before their 18th birthday. There are a number of negative short-term and long-term health hazards associated with teen smoking.
Poor Oral Health
Teens who smoke have triple the amount of cavities in their teeth as nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking discolors teeth and changes the color of enamel from a normal white to yellow. Teens who tend to have halitosis or chronic bad breath because of the habit. Cigarette smoking by teens also can lead to cancers in the mouth or throat.
Skin Problems
Smoking causes the blood vessels in the body to become smaller. This makes it more difficult for oxygen and nutrients to get to the skin. Teen smokers may appear to have a pale or gray complexion. They may develop a rash-causing skin condition known as psoriasis. Later in life, smokers develop premature wrinkles and appear older than their age.
Heart and Lung Problems
Cigarette smoke is inhaled directly into the lungs and does damage to the organs. Smokers kill air sacs in the lungs called alveoli every time they inhale. These sacs carry oxygen to the blood; once they are destroyed, the alveoli never grow back. According to Children's Hospital Boston, teens who smoke have smaller lungs and weaker hearts than teens who do not smoke. Teens who smoke run out of breath easily and perform less adequately in sport activities than nonsmokers. In the long-term, smoking can lead to lung cancer and heart disease.
Weak Immune System
Teens who smoke get sick more frequently than teens who do not smoke cigarettes. According the TeensHealth website from Nemours, teens who smoke are more likely to develop colds, flu and upper respiratory illness. Teens who smoke also have slower healing times for injuries.
Decreased Hormone Levels
A teenager who smokes cigarettes experiences low hormone levels. This can cause fertility issues down the road for both males and females. In the short-term, a female teenager who smokes has periods that are more painful than she would experience if she were a nonsmoker.
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