Rise in Teen Smokers

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The number of teen smokers is getting larger and larger every day. Many people in society continue to watch without any action while local businesses continue to sell tobacco products. Recent studies show how that a large percentage of teens today are getting their cigarettes, from convenience store, and mostly gas stations. Furthermore most Teens under the age of 18 say they get their cigarettes, from friends or other family members.

About 65% of children in each grade said they have friends or relatives buy cigarettes for them, also revealed that about half of the students said they bought cigarettes themselves from some type of retail store. Often convenience stores or gas stations, few students had to give proof of age, even through all 50 states and the District of Columbia restrict tobacco sales to minors. In addition just 25% of 8th graders, 36% of 10th grades, and 40% of 12th graders reported having to show ID to make their purchase.

On the other hand the companies should be punished for selling tobacco to minors, they should lose their rights to sell tobacco, and they should have to pay a fine, especially if the underage teen gets sick that company should have to pay the medical costs of the under age teen and the employee that sold the tobacco to the child should be fired from their job because smoking comes with a lot of responsibilities the underage teen is not ready to deal with. Furthermore recent studies show that the government is reducing their penalties in selling tobacco to children, instead of fining the companies $3,000 and a 3 month ban for selling tobacco products. They have decided to close a licensed premise for 2 to 7 days on first offence and 30 days for subsequent offences for selling tobacco to ...

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... short of breath. They can also develop constant coughing, excess mucus, and lower resistance to colds.

Finally, when teens get sick they may find that they cannot return to a healthy state so easily. Teens with asthma suffers put themselves at risk for stronger asthma attacks that may occur more often. Smoking can also create heart problems, and it can diminish the strength of the bones. In addition kids should not be smoking because they are under age and stores that do not check I.D. and sell to minors, should be shut down completely and they should be charged with child abuse, because kids only know is that they are having fun not knowing the health risks and damages they are doing to their body this is why it is up to adults in society to make good choices and guide kids in the right direction until they are old enough to make their on decisions.

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