Children of nicotine-addicted parents more likely to become heavy smokers

The more time a child is exposed to a parent addicted to smoking, the more likely the youth will not only take up cigarettes but also become a heavy smoker. So warns a team of researchers led by Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists. The study is among the first to take a prospective, intergenerational view of the impact a parent’s behavior has on smoking risk for their adolescent offspring. The findings suggest that parental smoking cessation early in their children’s lives is critical to prevent habitual smoking in the next generation. Read more here.