What if My Friend Smokes?

What if My Friend Smokes?

If you have a friend who smokes or uses tobacco, you can help him or her by encouraging the person to quit. Here are some reasons you can mention:

• It will hurt his or her health.
• It will make his or her breath stinky.
• It will turn his or her teeth yellow.
• It will give him or her less endurance when running or playing sports.
• It's expensive.
• It's illegal to buy cigarettes when you're underage.

If you think it will help, you could print out articles like this one for your friend. He or she may be interested in learning more about the dangers of smoking. But the person also could be a little angry. No one likes to hear that they're doing something wrong. If your friend gets upset, don't push it too much. In time, he or she may realize you are right.

In the meantime, it could help to talk with a parent or a school counselor to say you're worried about your friend. When your friend is ready, a grown-up can help him or her quit for good. If your friend decides to quit, support him or her. You might say it's time to kick some butts!

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