3.21 Health effects for younger smokers

Show / hide chapter menu

3.0 Background

3.1 Tobacco—a leading preventable cause of death and disease

3.2 Cardiovascular diseases

3.3 Lung cancer

3.4 Respiratory diseases

3.5 Other cancers caused by or associated with smoking

3.6 Reproductive health and smoking

3.7 Pregnancy and smoking

3.8 Infant health and smoking

3.9 Increased susceptibility to infection in smokers

3.10 Eye diseases

3.11 Dental diseases

3.12 Gastrointestinal diseases

3.13 Bone density and risk of fractures

3.14 Effects of smoking on the skin

3.15 Smoking and complications in medical treatment

3.16 Smoking and diabetes

3.17 Poorer levels of general health

3.18 Smoking, motor vehicle crashes and other injuries

3.19 Burns and fires caused by tobacco use

3.20 Tobacco poisoning

3.21 Health effects for younger smokers

3.22 Genetic influences on tobacco-caused disease

3.23 Smoking, dementia and cognitive decline

3.24 Lung disease, smoking and occupational exposures

3.25 Air pollution, cigarette smoking and ill health

3.26 Health effects of smoking brands that claim to deliver lower levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide

3.27 Health effects of smoking tobacco in other forms

3.28 Health 'benefits' of smoking?

3.29 Morbidity (ill health) attributable to tobacco-caused disease

3.30 Deaths attributable to tobacco by disease category

3.31 Morbidity and mortality due to tobacco-caused disease and socioeconomic disadvantage

3.32 Health effects of smoking other substances

3.33 Health effects of chewing tobacco, and of other smokeless tobacco products

3.34 Public perceptions of tobacco as a drug, and knowledge and beliefs about the health consequences of smoking

3.35 Health benefits of cessation

3.36 The global tobacco pandemic

Acknowledgments

References

Smoking during childhood and adolescence causes a range of immediate health problems, as well as laying the foundation for the development of serious disease in adulthood.121

Respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing, phlegm production and wheezing are more common in young smokers. Young smokers tend to be less physically fit than their non-smoking peers, fitness declining with increasing levels of tobacco consumption. Overall, young smokers are more likely to report suffering an overall diminished level of health compared to non-smokers.121

Damage to the circulatory system becomes evident in young smokers, and may become clinically significant in early adulthood. Children who smoke have an increased risk of developing atherosclerotic lesions and other risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease.121 Lung development is also altered by early tobacco use. Adolescent smokers appear to have a reduced rate of lung growth, and attain a lower maximum lung function than non-smokers. Impaired lung function and increased incidence of respiratory symptoms are risk factors for chronic respiratory problems in adulthood, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.121 Victorian research tracking the smoking career of a large cohort of teenagers over a 10-year period has found a greater likelihood of substance abuse (especially cannabis dependence) and psychiatric illness in continuing smokers.122

Addiction to nicotine may occur at an early age, and young people report withdrawal symptoms and relapse rates following quit attempts that are similar to those reported by adults.121 Factors influencing smoking behaviour in young people are discussed in Chapter 5.