Key facts every parent should know
Dependence starts fast
Nicotine dependence can start within days, after just a handful of uses.
Still the #1 preventable killer
Cigarette smoking remains the single most preventable cause of death in the U.S. — linked to heart disease, stroke, and at least ten types of cancer.
Vapes are an open question
E-cigarettes are far less studied and, until recently, far less regulated than cigarettes. They still deliver addictive nicotine plus other chemicals with unknown long-term effects.
It starts young
About 9 in 10 adult smokers started before age 19 — which is exactly why the college years matter so much.
How quickly nicotine dependence can take hold — not months or years.
types of cancer linked to cigarette smoking, along with heart disease and stroke.
adult smokers started before age 19.
The benefits of quitting start within minutes — blood pressure and heart rate normalize almost immediately, and heart disease risk is cut in half within a year. It's never "too late" for this conversation to help.