Teenage health and lifestyle

Smoking

Starting to smoke at a young age can lead to a habit that’s hard to break. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. The body and mind get used to it, making you feel like you need it to feel normal.

Smoking also creates habits, which can make it tough to quit. Smoking is also expensive. If you stop or reduce your smoking, you’ll have more money for other things.

The risks

Smoking can cause serious health problems, including:

• cancer, 90% of lung cancer is caused by smoking
• emphysema, a lung disease that breaks down lung tissue
• heart disease
• asthma, and if you already have it smoking can make asthma worse
• impotence, problems with getting or keeping an erection
• increased stress, nicotine addiction can lead to more stress when you don’t have a cigarette

Even if you’re not smoking, being around people who do can harm your health through passive smoking, where you breathe in their smoke.

Things you may notice if you smoke

Smoking can have visible effects on your body, such as:

• your clothes, hair and skin smell of smoke
• your fingers may become stained yellow
• your teeth can get stained and may rot if not cared for
• your breath will smell
• smoking can make your skin dry and cause spots, as it limits nutrients to your skin
• it can harm your ability to have children
• you may start coughing more
• you’ll get out of breath more easily
• your sense of taste will change over time

If you’re feeling pressured to smoke

It can be hard to say no to friends when you’re feeling peer pressure. Being pushed to do something you’re not comfortable with can make you feel anxious and lonely. If you’re in this situation, consider talking to an adult for support.

Reasons to stop smoking

• You will breathe easier and have better lung capacity.
• You’ll save money.
• Your skin will look better and have fewer wrinkles.
• Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times more likely to die from cancer than someone who starts smoking in their mid 20s.
• Smoking affects fertility, making it harder to start a family.
• Smoking raises the risk of pregnancy complications and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) for babies.

How to stop smoking

There are many ways to help you stop smoking. Some people find it less overwhelming to gradually reduce how much they smoke instead of quitting all at once.

Tips to help you quit

• Ask friends and family to support you. Choose people who you will be honest with you.
• Get your friends involved. Make a deal with friends who also want to quit to support each other.
• Prepare excuses for saying no. It can be difficult to tell friends you are stopping smoking, so prepare something ready to say when you are offered a cigarette.

Drugs

It’s important to stay safe, whether you plan to use drugs or not.

As you grow older and gain more independence, you may feel tempted to try new things.

Before making any decisions, consider the risks, side effects, and typical doses of any drugs you may think about using. Think carefully about how drugs could affect you and those around you.

For an A to Z of drugs, visit the FRANK website (opens in new window).

Nitrous oxide

Commonly referred to as:

• balloons
• chargers
• hippie crack
• laughing gas
• nos or noz
• whippits

How you might feel:

• relaxed
• giggly
• sound distortions
• dizzy
• anxious
• paranoid

Nitrous oxide usually works immediately and can last up to 2 minutes.

Common risks

Using nitrous oxide can give you a headache and make it hard to think clearly.

Inhaling directly from a canister is even more dangerous. It’s difficult to know how many balloons to use safely in a short time. Too much nitrous oxide can cause fainting, loss of consciousness, suffocation, and in severe cases, paralysis.

Plan your journey

If you use public transport, the Traveline journey planner provides information about what services and times are available.

Page last reviewed: March 11, 2025
Next review due: March 11, 2026