When it Comes to Tobacco,Teens Do Weigh Pros and Cons UC Merced
Psychologist Finds Teen Smokers View Smoking as Less Dangerous
and More Beneficial than Non-Smokers MERCED, CA— Tobacco is the
leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., causing close
to a half-million deaths every year. It's common knowledge that
the best way to stop smoking is to never start, yet 1 million
people pick up the habit each year - and many of them are under
18. Given the facts, preventing tobacco use among adolescents is
a major focus in our country, but the statistics regarding teen
smoking remain staggering. UC Merced psychologist Anna V.
Songspends her days figuring out why, if teens know smoking is
unhealthy, they do it anyway. Song found that when it comes to
deciding whether to smoke that first cigarette, teens actually
do weigh the pros and cons. Teens who believe smoking is very
risky and holds little value are less likely to smoke, compared
to teens who believe smoking is safer and socially valuable.
Song and her coll