Adolescents across all age groups perceive a greater risk to smoking cigarettes than the use of alcohol and other substances including cocaine and LSD, according to a new report based on a national survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An individual’s perception of risk about a substance can be a key factor whether they decide to refrain from using.

“We are on the right track with cigarette smoking and need to keep raising awareness among teens about the dangers of other substances,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “Understanding that perception of harm is a strong predictor of potential substance use among young people can help guide the development of substance prevention messages.”

The survey found that although the perception of risk in terms of cigarette smoking remained relatively constant among all adolescent groups, the perception of risk associated with other types of substances varied considerably by gender and age. Key findings from the NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) survey include:

* Nearly 70 percent of adolescents aged 12-17 perceived great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day. This rate was stable across age groups.
* Only 40 percent of adolescents perceived great risk from binge drinking (having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week), and just over one third (34.2 percent) perceived great risk from smoking marijuana once a month. About half perceived great risk in using cocaine once a month (49.7 percent) or LSD once or twice (50.9 percent).
* Females were more likely than males to perceive great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day, from having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week, and from smoking marijuana once a month; males were more likely than females to perceive great risk from trying heroin once or twice.

Link to the Complete Study Findings

Why should you quit smoking? Every smoker has his or her own personal reasons for quitting. Here are some common reasons. Think about what is most important to you.

* For your health! According to the Surgeon General, quitting smoking is the single most important step a smoker can take to improve the length and quality of her or her life. As soon as you quit, your body begins to repair the damage caused by smoking. Of course it’s best to quit early in life but even someone who quits later in life will improve their health.
* To save money! It’s getting more expensive to smoke cigarettes. State and federal cigarette taxes continue to go up and in some places, a pack of cigarettes can cost $10.00. Even if a pack costs “only” $5.00 where you live, smoking one pack per day adds up to $1,825.00 each year.
* To save the aggravation! It’s getting less convenient to smoke. More and more states and cities are passing clean indoor air laws that make it illegal to smoke in bars, restaurants, and other public places. Are you tired of having to go outside many times a day to have a cigarette? Is standing in the cold and the rain really worth having that cigarette? Wouldn’t it be easier if you had the choice to go outside only when you want to and not when you need to?
* It’s good for the people around you! Cigarette smoke is harmful to everyone who inhales it, not just the smoker. Whether you’re young or old and in good health or bad, secondhand smoke is dangerous and can make you sick. Children who live with smokers get more chest colds and ear infections while babies born to mothers who smoke have an increased risk of premature delivery, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

For those people who aren’t sure they want to quit, we found this interesting article on care2.com by Melissa Breyer that talks about some of the nasty ingredients found in cigarettes:

For a start, here’s the who’s who of the most toxic ingredients used to make cigarettes tastier, and more quickly, effectively addictive:

Ammonia: Household cleaner.
Arsenic: Used in rat poisons.
Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber.
Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid.
Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas.
Cadmium: Used in batteries.
Cyanide: Lethal poison.
DDT: A banned insecticide.
Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals.
Lead: Poisonous in high doses.
Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens.
Methoprene: Insecticide.
Maltitol: Sweetener for diabetics.
Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs.
Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India, in 1984.
Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element.