Unit 4 Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 288 Y ou learned about health issues and mental, social, and legal consequences associated with tobacco use in the previous lesson. You also learned that secondhand and thirdhand smoke and aerosol puts family members and friends at risk for health conditions. Given these facts, you may wonder why anyone would start to use tobacco products. Despite the health risks, the number of youths who used vaping devices increased by 1.5 million in 2018. In this lesson, you will learn about several factors that may cause someone to try tobacco products. This lesson also discusses how using tobacco products can lead to a substance use disorder. Factors Affecting Tobacco Use Most young people who begin to smoke, vape, or use smokeless tobacco do plan to quit. They believe that quitting will be easy. They soon find out, however, that tobacco use is very difficult to stop. The majority of young people who use tobacco become adults who regularly use tobacco products (Figure 9.12). Various factors may cause a young person to try a cigarette, vaping device, or smokeless tobacco. These include individual factors and external factors such as family, peer pressure, and the media. Individual Factors Individual factors are the factors related to your identity and behaviors. These factors include genetic makeup, mental health, and stage of development. Genetic makeup influences how likely a person is to develop an addiction to nicotine. For example, having a family history of nicotine addiction increases a person’s risk for developing an addiction to nicotine. Some young people smoke, vape, or chew tobacco in an attempt to manage their mental health. They may feel stressed at school and turn to tobacco use as a way to relax. They may also be trying out a new identity. Young people may associate using tobacco with maturity, glamour, rebellion, or toughness. They may also believe that tobacco use will make them seem older or cooler. Mental health conditions can increase the risk of nicotine addiction in young people. Rather than turning to tobacco products, people with mental health conditions and mental illnesses need to seek professional treatment. Another individual factor that influences risk is stage of development. As you learned in the previous lesson, young people are especially sensitive to the effects of nicotine because their brains are still developing. If a young person uses tobacco at an early age, this person is more likely to develop an addiction to nicotine. 30.7% of young people who vape start smoking within six months 8.1% of young people who do not vape start smoking within six months Young People Who Vape Are More Likely to Start Smoking AlexHliv/Shutterstock.com Figure 9.12 Using vaping devices increases the risk of also using cigarettes.