Youth

The younger a person begins smoking, the more likely they will become strongly addicted to nicotine. Young people who smoke even a small number of cigarettes per day can begin to experience symptoms of dependence to nicotine including cravings, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, hunger, difficulty concentrating and problems sleeping.

Young people who smoke will likely have:

• Breathing difficulty making it harder to be physically active.
• Colds, infections, earaches and other illnesses more often than non-smokers.
• Bad smell on their clothes, hair and skin.
• Yellow teeth and bad breath.
• Wrinkles and premature aging.
• Dull and thinning hair.
• Dark bags under your eyes.

Smokeless tobacco, like chewing tobacco and snuff, contain high levels of nicotine which cause addiction. Smokeless tobacco can cause dental problems like cavities, gum disease and tooth loss.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are not tobacco products, but the e-juice often contains nicotine. The high concentration of nicotine and small particles you breathe in while vaping are linked to heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and lung damage. Nicotine can also cause permanent damage to youths' developing brains, making it harder to focus and increasing the risk of developing psychiatric disorders.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to stop smoking completely. Talk to your Health Care Provider to learn more about quit supports, like medications and counselling. Nicotine Replacement Therapy is safer for young people than continuing to use tobacco.