False: Two hundred thousand Americans die each year from smoking related heart disease. Chemicals from smoke enter the blood stream and cause the heart to receive less blood, less oxygen and to work harder. Smoking, therefore, poses a triple threat to the heart. (And, as stated in #12 above, the damage that leads to the heart disease in adults can already be detected in teenage smokers).

19. In this Video, all of the patients seen, started smoking after the age of eighteen.

False: All of the patients in the Video started smoking between 10-16 years of age and just could not quit despite many attempts to do so.

SOCIAL ASPECTS OF TOBACCO USE: TRUE or FALSE

20. Surveys show that the majority of United States high school seniors are not smokers.

True: Over 2/3's of high school seniors are not smokers and never will be.

21. Surveys show that most high school seniors prefer to date non-smokers.

True: and this is an increasing trend.

22. Most smokers start as adults.

False: Almost 90% of all regular smokers started as minors, before graduation from high school. Statistics show that if you haven't started smoking by high school graduation, the chances are you will never start. If you haven't stopped smoking by high school graduation, the chances are you will never quit, even though you want to.

23. Teenage tobacco users have a lower self-image and a lower self-esteem than non-smoking peers.

True: Large studies have shown that teenage smokers have a lower self-image, lower self-esteem and less self-confidence than teenagers who don't smoke. Teenage smokers don't have enough self-confidence to resist peer pressure to use tobacco. Their smoking behavior is only a weak attempt to improve self-image in front of others. Teenagers who have high self-esteem and self-worth are more likely to value their own opinion and their health and are less likely to smoke.