Teen Smoking: Facts, Risks & Statistics - A Comprehensive Overview

More and more teenagers start smoking each day. What starts out as something new and exciting can turn into a deadly habit. It is important for teens to know that smoking at a young age can have a negative effect on their entire lives.

New Smokers

• An estimated 3,000 teens smoke their first cigarette each day, 1,000 of whom will die from tobacco-related causes.

Lungs

• The lungs of teens who smoke will not develop fully, which puts them at higher risk for lung disease.

U.S. Percentage

• In the United States, about 20 percent of teens consider themselves to be regular smokers.

Habit Forming

• Roughly 75 percent of teen smokers will continue smoking into their adult lives.

Physical Fitness

• Teens who smoke have poor physical fitness compared to teens who do not. This puts them at risk for obesity, which can lead to several diseases.

Peer Pressure

• A teenager is 13 times more likely to start smoking if he has friends who smoke.