How To Talk To Your Kids
The #1 most preventable cause of death and disease is tobacco use. And yet the rates of smoking and the use of chewing tobacco continue to grow. Most 
parents don’t expect their children to pick up the habit, but every day more than 6,000 kids become regular smokers. And children are twice as likely to try tobacco if one or both parents use it. Which means, the first step in persuading your child not to use tobacco products is for you to lead the way and be tobacco-free first.
Get Involved!
The second step is discussing the issue with your child. We encourage you to check out the links below for tips, information and ideas on how to talk to your children about a tobacco-free life.
Here To Help
Staying involved in your child’s life reduces the chance that he or she will ever pick up the tobacco habit.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office on Smoking and Health has ten tactics for staying involved in your child’s life, advice to help your child quit tobacco, and informational brochures for you to download.
The American Academy of Family Physicians website answers the most frequently asked questions teens want to know about quitting the tobacco habit.
The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids has information for parents, educators, and teens. The Campaign works with over 130 organizations worldwide making this site one of the most comprehensive information resources available.
We also invite you to visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website to learn more about the Pennsylvania Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and other initiatives that are helping us to promote healthy lifestyles, prevent injury and disease and to assure the safe delivery of quality health care services for all Pennsylvanians.
