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Share Your Tips for Talking to Youth About Not Using Tobacco

Parenting is one of the most gratifying jobs out there. But it is also one of the toughest, especially when it comes to having discussions about important issues like tobacco use.

We want to hear ways you encourage youth NOT to use tobacco:

  • What tips would you give to other parents, guardians or mentors?
  • Have you had the conversation about tobacco with youth? Share your approach!

Not sure what types of tips to share? Here are a few of our tips to get you started:

  • Share the Facts: Knowledge is power – give youth the facts about tobacco so that they can make good choices. View our infographic on the facts about teens and tobacco.
  • Talk Early and Often: It’s never too early to begin the conversation about tobacco’s dangers. Make your child understand that you want them to stay safe and expect them to avoid using tobacco.
  • Use Everyday Opportunities to Talk and Listen: There are plenty of other opportunities every day to bring up the topic of tobacco use and its risks. The next time you see someone smoking in public, take a moment to discuss how it harms the body. Tell them, “Tobacco is highly addictive and toxic to your body. It can harm your lungs, heart, brain and other body parts.”
  • Get all eight of our tips!

We value your feedback and appreciate your time! We’re looking into innovative ways to broadcast the best tips.

Forum opens on August 16, 2012 and closes on September 15, 2012

If you have questions about the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, please email AskCTP@fda.hhs.gov.

Please note that FDA will only post on-topic ideas and comments and those that conform to our comment policy. Additionally, the UserVoice service FDA employs to provide this forum is not a government entity. To review our Comment Policy and our Notice of Third-Party Website Use, please visit http://go.usa.gov/3jT. (1) National Health Information Center, healthfinder.gov. National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institutes of Health. Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, content last updated July 31, 2012.

I encourage youth not to use tobacco by...

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  1. Pointing out how tobacco marketing works

    I remind youth that they are a long-standing target of tobacco marketing by tobacco companies that must, at minimum, replace former smokers in order to maintain profits. I remind youth that up to half of former smokers are dead as a result of their tobacco use. I point out that aggressive marketing is all about making money at the expense of peoples' health and lives. I fin youth do not like to be thought of as industry targets and pawns.

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    Share Your Tips for Talking to Youth About Not Using Tobacco

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    If you have questions about the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, please email AskCTP@fda.hhs.gov.

    Please note that FDA will only post on-topic ideas and comments within this forum that conform to our comment policy. Additionally, the UserVoice service FDA employs to provide this forum is not a government entity. To review our Comment Policy and our Notice of Third-Party Website Use, please visit http://go.usa.gov/3jT.