Teaching Children About the Dangers of Alcohol and Tobacco

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Alcohol abuse can occur at any age, and it can lead to a lifetime of dependency. Tobacco can also be an addictive substance that could cause a variety of health issues such as lung or throat cancer. It can also make it harder to breathe, and the smell can make it harder for others to want to be around you. What should parents and teachers tell children to make sure that they are the aware of the dangers surrounding alcohol and tobacco use?

Tobacco Is Dangerous In Any Form

When a child thinks about tobacco, he or she may think about someone smoking a cigarette. However, tobacco is dangerous no matter what form a person uses it in. Therefore, children should be told to stay away from chewing tobacco or smoking cigars as they also have substances that can be addictive or at least bad for a person's health. Children should be told to avoid electronic cigarettes as they can also contain harmful chemicals that are inhaled directly into the lungs and bloodstream. In fact, kids should be discouraged from eating candy that looks like a cigarette or simulates smoking in any way. This is because you don't want a young kid to consider smoking to be a fun or casual habit that doesn't have any consequences.

Alcohol Is Illegal For Those Under the Age of 21

No matter what a child or teenager thinks about the dangers of drinking, it should be made clear that no one is allowed to consume alcohol before age 21. Young people should be made aware of the consequences of doing so such as going to jail or losing a driver’s license for several months or years. The physical consequences of drinking could include cirrhosis of the liver as well as reduced kidney function. Alcohol abuse could also lead to nerve damage that makes it almost impossible to use your hands or feet without feeling pain or numbness. Those who are drunk lose their inhibitions, which may result in getting into a fight or committing sexual assault.

DUI and DWI Legal Fees Are Expensive

A driver who is caught driving while drunk or impaired by alcohol or any other substance could face serious legal charges. In most cases, those who are charged with DWI will need to be represented by a DWI lawyer. Legal representation can easily cost $10,000 or more, and that doesn't include court costs or potential fines associated with a conviction on a DWI charge. You may still have to pay to have your car removed from the impound lot as well as pay to have your license reinstated. If you are required to have an ignition interlock device installed on your car, it could cost another $100 a month or more.

Your Family Hurts When You Hurt

One way to keep kids tobacco and alcohol-free is to stress how much a child's poor health impacts his or her parents and other family members. For instance, no child wants to know that their mother or father is stressed or crying all day because he or she was in a hospital bed after a night of drinking. Kids should also be made aware of the pain that other families would suffer if they were responsible for hurting their children or loved ones in a car crash while intoxicated.

Children should be made aware at an early age of the impact that tobacco and alcohol could have on their lives. Teaching them that these substances should be avoided may help them make healthier decisions and increase the odds that they grow up to be productive adults not burdened by dependency.