Sadly, too few parents have any idea just how risky that first puff of nicotine is. The fact that nicotine's dopmaine/adrenaline high is alert instead of numb, racing or intoxicated naturally lulls parents into falsely believing that it's far less risky than heroin or cocaine. But that depends upon how we define risk. According to Russell, "over 90% of teenagers who smoke 3-4 cigarettes are trapped into a career of regular smoking which typically lasts for some 30-40 years." Russell, MA,
The nicotine addiction trap: a 40-year sentence for four cigarettes