Genes Encourage Kids to Smoke
Results from the Cardiff study of All Wales and North West of England Twins has found that genetic factors influence whether children become smokers. Dr. Marianne van den Bree:
If there is a sub-group of children with these genetic factors, in a family whose relationships are not good, it puts them at a higher risk of smoking or other unhealthy behaviour.
This kind of sociobiology mumble jumble isn’t going to help anyone. Kids should be bombarded with anti-smoking messages at every opportunity. Smoking should be banned in public places. And, movies should stop glamorizing it all.
The bottom line: CIGARETTES KILL or even worse, they could make you sick and miserable.
icWales, March 23, 2006
Tags: cigarettes, disease, Genes, genetics, health, smoker, smokingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health
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5 opinions for Genes Encourage Kids to Smoke
Rob In China
Mar 25, 2006 at 12:32 am
I agree that smoking should not be advertised as being glamorous.
But, banning smoking in public or banning glamorous images of smoking in movies is not going to happen. Along the same logic, we should also ban driving cars or show movies with any kind of violence, because car emissions is bad for our health and movies with any kind of violence can influence children too. While we are at it, we should ban spitting all together too. Not only is it gross, it’s bad for public health.
A better way would be to set a good example for children at home by not smoking or teaching them about the negative outcomes of smoking.
Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD
Mar 25, 2006 at 2:31 am
Rob in China: Hi! Nice to see you here! :)
Families do have a great deal of influence on kids, but not enough. By the teenage years, some experts argue that peers have the majority of effect on kids’ behaviors, not parents. And where do kids get their message of appropriate behavior now? Hollywood. :(
So doing some work on the way smoking is treated as a public health concern does make sense. Smoking is beginning to be banned in many countries’ indoor spaces and places, such as Ireland, have seen a decrease in heart disease. So that is going to happen.
We’re not talking about banning cigarettes altogether or making them illegal just that those of us who choose not to smoke don’t have to share the same space with people who are lighting up. Secondhand smoke does its damage too.
And I suppose regulations are odious to those of us who appreciate our freedom, but they are needed. Cars and movies have limits placed on them. Spitting is socially frowned upon. Rules are a part of an orderly and considerate society.
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