Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wLpUobtKCk

Intrapersonal

If someone starts smoking, chewing, or snuffing they can quickly become highly addicted to the substance.  Scientists estimate that cigarettes are more addictive than cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Smoking can be very harmful to one's health causing numerous problems in the long run.  For example, a lower lung capacity, numerous cancers, emphysema, etc. 

Although smoking can cause these effects, people continue to smoke because they feel smoking makes them feel more energized and alert.  Tobacco advertising is another large reason that people may begin to smoke.  Smoking is often seen glamorized in television shows, movies, magazine advertisements, and billboards.  This glamorization is leading people, especially young people, to believe that 'smoking is cool,' which in reality it is quite the opposite.  However, in recent years the media, especially television shows, have tried to stay away from glamorizing smoking cigarettes, and instead use their show as an opportunity to let society know of the dangers of picking up this habit. 

 Once a person has a positive outlook and feels strongly about not smoking they should then inform others of the dangers and share their own personal reasons for refraining from tobacco use.  Including personal reasons can help make the facts or statistics more real for a person debating about taking up smoking or not.  If you are aware of someone that is trying to stop smoking the best thing to do  is to give them as much support as you can to help get them through this difficult time.

I personally do not use tobacco, and never have.  My parents have taught my sisters and I since we were young how bad smoking is and how bad things could result from it if we were to start the disgusting habit.  My family has given me the confidence and strength to say NO to peer pressure, and I know how lucky I am to have such an amazing support system in my life.  I was a cheerleader my whole life, and I was doing good to get through the routine with out ever having a cigarette, I can not imagine being a smoker and trying to get through it.  I do not want something like smoking holding me back on anything I want to do throughout my years of living.  My life is extremely important to me and I want to be around as long as I can living it to the fullest.

Interpersonal

FAMILY: Parents who smoke around their children at home or in the car may leave them with symptoms of nicotine addiction.  This is one reason why if a child's parent smokes then the children are much more likely to start smoking, compared to those children who do not have parents that smoke.  When a parent decides to be a parent they need to realize that they are a role model to this new life they brought into the world, and if they are constantly lighting up then their child will think this is a normal activity to engage in and that it is 'ok.'  When in reality the parent is extremely hurting their health, along with their child's health.  Breathing in second-hand smoke can cause very serious health problems.

FRIENDS/ PEER PRESSURE: Many young people have to learn to resist peer pressure in order to stay tobacco-free.  This involves having good decision making and communication skills.  Another factor that can help youth in dealing with peer pressure they face is identifying the social factors that may influence them to use tobacco and decide how they will personally deal with these influences.  Peer pressure for various reasons is a problems that every kid faces, if they are not taught at home how to deal with this unwanted pressure then schools should definitely step in and teach kids how to stay strong.  I know especially when I was younger peer pressure was not always the easiest to resist, but you just have to stay strong because as you age it gets easier.  Looking back at my early years in high school I know people used to look at me funny when I would decline a cigarette, but now being in college my friends commend me for it.  The most important thing kids need to realize is that it does get better.

SOCIAL SUPPORT/RELATIONSHIPS:  Social support can come in a variety of forms, but the support of a spouse or partner may be the most important for preventing or helping a person quit smoking.  Research has indicated that living with a smoker makes it harder for a person to successfully quit or resist from smoking, especially for women.  Tobacco users can also use a 'buddy system' that supports the cessation of tobacco.  In order to help the spouse successfully quit they can implement the rule of no smoking within the household.  A relationship that focuses on teamwork is ideal when working on the prevention of smoking.  

 

Institutional

SCHOOLS: A tobacco-free school environment can provide health, social, and economic benefits for students, staff, the school, and the district.  Schools are an ideal institution for young people to learn and understand the risks of tobacco.  Evidence suggests that school health programs can be an effective means of preventing tobacco use among youth, and where better then schools to implement these programs.  A number of findings have shown positive outcomes from these programs.


An example of one of these programs is D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).  This program helps gives kids the skills they need to 'just say no' and is used in 75% of the United States school districts.  I attended St. Michael School from first through eighth grade, and we had our D.A.R.E program classes during the sixth grade.  I thought this was a good time to learn about all the laws and risks of tobacco because it was around this age that kids at my school started talking about using the drug.  I thought this program was very successful and taught me a lot of information I could apply to my everyday life. 


EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Since many young people are involved in sports, this is another way to inform young people on the dangers of smoking.  Teaching the young athletes that staying smoke-free gives your more stamina and makes you more of an asset to your team has been proven effective.  Kids that are involved in sports learn to make important health related decisions involving tobacco use, physical activity, and good nutrition at an early stage in life.  Many high-profile athletes, coaches, agencies, and organizations have joined the Center for Disease Control's Tobacco Free Movement.  This movement strives to keep kids tobacco free, seeing as studies have proven that if kept tobacco-free, most youth will not start using it later in life.  I think this program does a great job at staying tobacco free be cool.  I know sports were such an important part of my life growing up, just like a lot of kids, and putting the realization that your game could suffer due to smoking I know would help steer many kids away at the thought of trying a cigarette.  Being the best you can be is very important in sports, and I know I would not like anything like smoking get in my way.

 

 WORK:  Tobacco prevention is becoming more and more relevant to the workplace throughout the country.  Companies are gradually finding that it is more beneficial in the long run to hire someone that does not smoke, compared to those that do smoke.  Studies have found that cigarette users are more bound to health risks, and call in for more sick days than non cigarette users.  The American Lung Association says that the key to having a healthy work environment is to ensuring that the air is smoke-free. 

Community

 Tobacco prevention in the community plays one of the largest roles in preventing tobacco use.

• If current youth tobacco use trends continue, then 6.4 million of today's young people will die from a tobacco-related disease

• Cigarette smoking accounts for approximately one out of every five deaths, 20% of deaths annually.

• Smoking prevalence was higher among adults living below poverty level, than those living above poverty level.

• Total mortality from lung cancer is 21% higher among African Americans than in Caucasions.

•  Cigarette smoking results in 5.1 million years of potential life lost in the United States annually

• Studies have shown that anti-smoking programs should begin when students are young due to the important social, cognitive, biological, and emotional changes that take place during this time. 

• Most youths that start smoking start before the legal age of 18. 

• The states with the highest smoking prevalence in the country are Nevada, Kentucky, and Ohio.

All of these statistics show the need for tobacco awareness throughout communities.  Not only do young people need programs in schools, but good role models as well.  There are many factors that go in to helping a person stay tobacco-free, just like there are many factors that go into making a community.  The key to tobacco prevention is teach youth from a young age how risky and possibly life-threatening this habit can be.  If everyone works together, preventing tobacco usage can be done.

Public Policy

Although smoking itself is not illegal, there are many laws and policies that people must follow regarding smoking.  Even though these laws do not totally prevent people from smoking, they help make it more inconvenient, therefore, helping reduce people from starting this horrid habit and increase the number of people wanting to quit.

Each individual country, state, community, and business have their own laws, rules, regulations, and mandates regarding tobacco usage.

Many schools across the country have strict polices and rules against tobacco use on campus.  Most of these rules are consistent with the local and state laws that have been already set.  Normally, these restrictions prohibit tobacco use by students, all school staff and faculty, parents, and school visitors while on school property, in school-vehicles, and while attending school-sponsored events away from school property.  These rules help students and parents realize that there are consequences for their actions.  These rules not only exist for the safety of the non-smokers, but to help smokers realize how bad tobacco truly is for them.

In the United States one must be 18 years or older in order to purchase tobacco products.  Every business or organization must hang a 'WE CARD' sign ensuring that they follow this law.  The attendant must ask for an id at the time of purchase.

As of January 1, 2008 Illinois has put a ban on smoking in all public places.  This includes bars, restaurants, the work place, most hotels, movie theaters, etc. However, Chicago, along with many other communities, already had strict restrictions on smoking in public places long before this law came into effect for the entire state.  If someone is caught breaking this law, they can face anywhere from a $100 to $250 fine.  This law was mainly put into effect due to the new evidence that second-hand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking, leading to cancers, emphysema, etc.  This new law gave a good amount of people that extra push to quit smoking.  Since they could no longer smoke at their leisure at their 'usual spots.'  Taking the time to go outside of the building, standing at least fifteen feet from the door is a large inconvenience, plus time consuming which many people no longer have time to fit into their day.  Even though thousands of people still buy their pack of cigarettes on a daily basis, I believe this law was helpful to a large number of people leading them to a healthier way of living.

References

Mdandersonorg. (2008, June 2).  "Date" - Youth Tobacco Prevention Commercial    .   YouTube  - Broadcast Yourself.    . Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wLpUobtKCk

Sherman, E., & Primack, B. (2009). What works to prevent adolescent smoking? A

systematic review of the National Cancer Institute's research-tested intervention programs. Journal of School Health, 79(9), 391-399. Retrieved from CINAHL with Full Text database.

Smoke-free Illinois. (n.d.). Illinois Department of Public Health Home Page. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.idph.state.il.us/smokefree/index.htm

Smoking and Tobacco Use :: Youth Tobacco Prevention :: Office on Smoking and   Health (OSH) :: CDC. (2009, August 20). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/youth/index.htm

Tobacco Use Prevention - DASH/HealthyYouth. (2009, August 14). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/tobacco/index.htm

UNICEF - Life skills - Tobacco use prevention . (2004, October 8). UNICEF - UNICEF Home. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/lifeskills/index_7197.html