1) The glamorous messages of smoking that is portrayed in advertisements or movies play a crucial role in influencing young people to start smoking. Kids are twice more like to be influenced from movies and advertising compared to peer pressure. They are also three times more likely to be influenced if their films idol stars smoke.

2) Most of the adult smokers began smoking and becoming addicted even before they can buy cigarettes at a legal age. By statistics, male smokers smoke their first cigarette at the approximate age of 13 while female at the age of 12.

3) Teenagers and the youth consume more than a billion cigarettes every year. This is as a result of retail sales that is worth more than $400 million. Teenagers spend approximately $1000 on cigarettes a year on the average.

4) Another shocking statistics indicates that 8 out of 10 youths who try smoking gets addicted. 70 percent of youths ages 15-19 years of age have reported at least one attempt to quit smoking in one year.

5) Children and youth who are exposed to second hand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are more likely to develop children illness compared to children whose homes are smoke-free. These children and youth who are exposed to second hand smoke or ETS have been related to tens and thousands of cases related to bronchitis, ear infections and hundreds of thousands cases related to asthma.

6) Research and studies have also shown that tobacco prevention programs should be taught in school as early as kindergarten to high school to enable the chances of children and youth to have a smoke-free life. This is to build a foundation of education in children about the harmful effects of smoking.

Lessons who are taught to children at an early age are normally remembered a lifetime, and this awareness will definitely help youth and children to shape an attitude towards a healthy lifestyle. If you are involved in the education field or a concerned parent, find out how you can hold awareness campaign of harmful effects of smoking for your childrens school.