Smoking in adolescents. How can we convince them not to smoke? - How can we help them to stop smoking?

Adolescence is an age prone to emerging addictive behaviours such as smoking. The relationship of adolescents with adults at home and at school is complex during this period of transition to adulthood. It is important that the bond between adolescents and adults should be secured and enriched. Smoking, starts as a social behaviour that is still valued in our culture and by our peers. Youngsters are then trapped into this pattern, and a strong addiction makes is difficult for them to change. This article will look at the specificities of smoking in adolescents, the specific ties of withdrawal, and the means recognised as the most efficient for prevention and for withdrawal support. Documented by recent articles on the subject and by my personal experience in a school environment and with adolescents, this article will aim at defining the most appropriate means in this struggle against this undesirable smoking behaviour in young people. (c) 2005 Elsevier SAS. Tous droits reserves.