Don't Start
Although you may see people using tobacco in movies, tv, and advertisements, most teens, adults, and athletes don’t use it. The nicotine in tobacco products is addictive. The best way to be tobacco free is not to start. Click on the orange circles to find out why these teens don't smoke.
Learn more about:
- How tobacco affects your body from girlshealth.gov
- Why you shouldn’t smoke from girlshealth.gov
- What you(th) should know about tobacco from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
For Parents, Teachers, and Coaches
Nearly all tobacco use begins in youth and young adulthood—88% of adult daily smokers smoked their first cigarette before turning 18. Almost 20% of high school students smoke cigarettes. Nearly 10% use smokeless tobacco, and young people who use smokeless tobacco are more likely to become cigarette smokers as adults.
By helping teens and young adults avoid using tobacco, we will help them live longer and healthier lives. We can make the next generation tobacco free.
Risk & Protective Factors
Is your child at risk of using or becoming addicted tobacco? Learn the signs and factors in this Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) resource.
Talk to Your Kids about Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
Learn the basics and start a conversation with your kids about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Use this healthfinder.gov resource as your guide.
Talk With Your Teen
Get tips for talking about tobacco and tobacco use with your teen from this OAH resource.
Ideas for Getting Started
Unsure how to start a conversation about tobacco use with your kids? Get tips in this OAH resource.
Where there’s Smoke: The Effects of Smoking on the Human Body
Use this lesson plan from the CDC to demonstrate what goes into a person's lungs with each puff of a cigarette and how that smoke affects a person’s body.
Tobacco Free Sports Initiatives
Promote healthy alternatives to tobacco use with these CDC fact sheets, handouts, and guides.
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