Bruce Epstein

About the author: Bruce Epstein practiced pediatrics in St. Petersburg, Florida, for twentysix years. He is the editor of the website www.kidsgrowth.com.

Many teenagers begin smoking because they underestimate the likelihood that they will become addicted to cigarettes. In the United States, however, 6 million teens continue to smoke, despite their knowledge of potential health hazards, and studies show that 75 percent of teens who begin smoking in high school are still smoking five years later. Nicotine is a "gateway" drug, which means that teens who smoke are more likely to go on to use other drugs, such as alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine, than teens who do not smoke. Teens who smoke may feel they are immune to the negative health effects of smoking, but in fact they have more respiratory illnesses and more...