Addiction occurs earlier than you might expect
A single cigarette may be enough for a youngster to become addicted to nicotine; in other words, you do not need to smoke every day to be an addict. The only way of avoiding dependency is never to smoke that first cigarette.
Fifteen percent of Canadian teens between 15 and 19 years of age are smokers.
The symptoms of addiction, such as strong cravings, sudden irritability and unsuccessful attempts to quit, appear in the first two months after a person first starts smoking.
An individual’s genetic heritage appears to have an impact on nicotine addiction. People who carry a specific gene will therefore become addicted more quickly to smaller quantities of nicotine.
Only three students out of every 100 believe they will still be smoking in five years’ time. However, research suggests that 60% will still be smokers in seven to nine years’ time.
Nicotine starts to change the brain’s physiology after the first puffs. The brain initiates the changes itself, to counter the effects of nicotine. Once the effects have worn off, withdrawal symptoms appear.
There are a number of factors that predispose people to smoke: social influence, early appearance of symptoms of addiction, socio-economic status, psycho-social factors (depression, stress, need for new things, self-esteem, academic performance), perceived advantages of smoking (such as weight control and the “cool” factor) and the availability of cigarettes.