Teen smoking turns into 17-year addiction
Former smoker Andre Hansen (33) has overcome a 17-year tobacco addiction, shedding light on the rising health threat of teenage smoking. Hansen says he was just 13 when he started smoking. What began as experimentation with other boys in his Windhoek neighbourhood became a daily habit he struggled to break, eventually affecting his relationships, stability […] The post Teen smoking turns into 17-year addiction appeared first on The Namibian .
Former smoker Andre Hansen (33) has overcome a 17-year tobacco addiction, shedding light on the rising health threat of teenage smoking.
Hansen says he was just 13 when he started smoking. What began as experimentation with other boys in his Windhoek neighbourhood became a daily habit he struggled to break, eventually affecting his relationships, stability and self-esteem, he says.
“I believe it was indirect peer pressure. Society made us believe cigarettes were nothing, that it was part of the experience of growing up.”
Hansen has now been tobacco-free and has abstained from other substance use for more than two years.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concerns about the growing use of tobacco and nicotine products among Namibian teenagers.
The 2024 Namibia Global School-based Student Health Survey indicates that almost 9% of teenagers between 13 and 17 currently smoke cigarettes, while almost 18% use a tobacco product, and 23% use electronic cigarettes.
