Generation Risk: How to Protect Your Teenager From Smoking and Other Risky Behavior [Hardcover]

Corky Newton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2001

Today's parents are confronted with startling degrees of sophistication, independence and boldness that are the badges of a new age of teenagers.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Though this book might not have been written before the recent spate of antitobacco court decisions, Newton (vice president of corporate and youth responsibility at Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.) has written a credible, research-based manual for parents and counselors of teenagers who might be attracted to risky behaviors including smoking. She begins with a discussion of teenage culture, citing typical themes as well as a description of the unique characteristics that may make this generation more prone to dangerous activity. In response, new methods of communication grounded in clarity and mutual respect and programs stressing assertiveness and social refusal skills are presented. The concluding section on smoking, addiction, and related behaviors involves no simple defense of smoking, especially among youth. However, there is also no critique of the industry's past transgressions. Rather the book's "empowerment" approach charges parents and schools with the responsibility of protecting teenagers. Useful for its insights into the mindset of today's adolescents, this book is suitable for public libraries. Antoinette Brinkman, formerly with Southwest Indiana Mental Health Ctr. Lib., Evansville
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Newton heads the youth smoking prevention program for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation and brings an insider's insights into the dangers of cigarette smoking. Although some readers might be skeptical of her sincerity, this book is quite honest in its assessment of risks from cigarette smoking, particularly for youth, and its frank advice to parents. Newton examines the "interconnected physical, social, and psychological factors that can intrigue and attract teenagers." Cigarette smoking doesn't take place in a social vacuum and is likely to be part of other risky behavior. Her advice is to build strong communication between parents and teens to reduce all risky behaviors. The final section deals specifically with smoking and how parents--including those who smoke themselves--can intervene. Her most prominent advice: don't say don't; instead, she advises focusing on positive interactions and building strong relationships. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: M.Evans & Company (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871319403
• ISBN-13: 978-0871319401
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,820,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for parents and grandparents of teens, February 2, 2001

By 

M. L. Reynolds "lance reynolds" (Alameda, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Generation Risk: How to Protect Your Teenager From Smoking and Other Risky Behavior (Hardcover)

Corky Newton speaks with an authentic and knowledgeable voice, as a mother, and as a tobacco company executive. Transcripts of interviews conducted with teenagers across the country helps us understand these baffling and alien people that we nevertheless love, cherish and pin our hopes for the future on. Her description of the sensual pleasures of opening a fresh pack of cigarettes and taking a first puff made this ex-smoker nostalgic.

Todays's teenagers face an ever increasing array of real and dangerous risks. A friend of mine's teenage son was offered drugs for sale three times one Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, and she was with him! The portrayal of teenage behavior in the movie Traffic is tragically real for some.

Ms. Newton shows us how to communicate with our teenagers, with honesty and integrity being one key, and avoidance of the word "don't" being another. From her own experience she tells of how she reacted to finding cigarettes in her son's backpack and learning of her daughter's tongue piercing, over the telephone. She discusses clearly the facts about smoking, addiction and disease although these in and of themselves are not effective in preventing many teens from smoking.

Her final chapter contains twenty-seven suggestions to help prevent teenagers from smoking and engaging in other self-destructive risk taking behavior. I wish I could send them to every parent. I have to my daughters for my not yet teen grandchildren, and to my friends with teenagers. I encourage them to share this remarkable book with their teenage children.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Combines solid psychological strategies with hard facts, March 18, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Generation Risk: How to Protect Your Teenager From Smoking and Other Risky Behavior (Hardcover)

In Generation Risk: How To Protect Your Teenager From Smoking And Other Dangerous Behavior, Corky Newton reveals the extent to which the tobacco industry seeks to entrap adolescent children into addiction. These insidious efforts are abetted by a teen's immaturity, access to indulgences (especially through the Internet), and the mixed cultural messages generated by entertainment and peer group pressures. Corky goes on to inform concerned parents what they can do to help their teenage son or daughter respond to the formidable forces of their peers and culture in order avoid entrapment into addictive and self-destructive behaviors and fads, foremost of which is smoking, drinking, and the use of drugs for recreational purposes. A very highly recommended addition to personal and community library parenting reference collections, Generation Risk combines solid psychological strategies with hard facts and data, outlines highly useful "refusal" skills; and will enable a parent to communicate effectively and persuasively with their son or daughter.