YOUTH AND TOBACCO USE Youth use of tobacco in any form is unsafe. If smoking continues at the current rate among youth in this country, 5.6 million of today’s Americans younger than 18 will $ die early from a smoking-related illness: Preventing tobacco use among youth is critical to ending the tobacco epidemic in the United States. Tobacco use is started and established primarily during adolescence.** Nearly 9 out of 10 | Each day in the United States, A 2 A J 2 A & cigarette smokers first more than 3,200 youth aged 18 tried smoking by age \W years or younger smoke their first a rs A J 2 18, and 99% first try GEE smoking by age 26.'% cigarette, and an additional 2,100 youth and young adults become daily cigarette smokers. Flavorings in tobacco products can make them more appealing to youth.* % 56% 13% 0 of high school students of middle school students who used tobacco products in the past 30 days reported using a flavored tobacco product during that time. www.cdc.gov/tobacco ESTIMATES OF CURRENT TOBACCO USE AMONG YOUTH Cigarette smoking has declined among U.S. youth in recent years, but the use of some other tobacco products has increased.°® Cigarettes ial From 2011 to 2015, current cigarette smoking declined among middle and high 7 About 2 of every 100 middle About 9 of every 100 high school students (2.3%) reported in school students (9.3%) reported 2015 that they smoked cigarettes in 2015 that they smoked ciga- in the past 30 days rettes in the past 30 days school students.°° decrease from 4.3% in 2011 decrease from 15.8% in 2011 Current use of electronic cigarettes in 2015 that they used electronic 2015 that they used electronic increased among middle and high cigarettes in the past 30 days school students from 2011 to 2015.5° cigarettes in the past 30 days increase from 0.6% in 2011 increase from 1.5% in 2011 Elect : : tt About 5 of every 100 middle 16 of every 100 high school ectronic cigarettes school students (5.3%) reported students (16.0%) reported in About 7 of every 100 high school students (7.2%) report- ed in 2015 that they had used hookah in the past 30 days 2 of every 100 middle school students (2.0%) reported in 2015 that they had used hoo- kah in the past 30 days From 2011 to 2015, current use of hookahs increased among middle and high school students.°° increase from 1.0% in 2011 increase from 4.1% in 2011. 6 of every 100 high school a Nearly 2 of every 100 middle Smokeless Tobacco school students (1.8%) report- ed current use of smokeless tobacco. students (6.0%) reported current use of smokeless tobacco. All Tobacco Product Use zy In 2015, about 7 of every 100 25 of every 100 high school students used some 0 middle school students used 0 type of tobacco product.® 1.4% 25.5%" P some type of tobacco product. Nearly half of high school students said they had ever tried a tobacco product.’ : In 2013, nearly 18 of every 100 0 17.1% middle school students said they 46 % had ever tried a tobacco product.’ Use of multiple tobacco products is prevalent among youth.? 3.3% 13% sy In 2015, about 3 of every 100 middle school In 2013, more than 31 of every 100 high students and 13 of every 100 high school school students said they had ever tried students reported use of two or more tobacco two or more tobacco products.’ products in the past 30 days.> Youth who use multiple tobacco products are at higher risk for developing nicotine dependence and might be more likely to continue using tobacco into adulthood” FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUTH TOBACCO USE Social and physical environments2® The way mass media Youth are more likely High school athletes Parental smoking may show tobacco use as to use tobacco if they are more likely to use promote smoking a normal activity can see that tobacco use is smokeless tobacco among young people. promote smoking acceptable or normal than their peers who among young people. among their peers. are non-athletes.? Biological and genetic factors? O © There is evidence that youth may Genetic factors may make A mother’s smoking during be sensitive to nicotine and that quitting smoking more pregnancy may increase the teens can feel dependent on difficult for young people. likelihood that her offspring nicotine sooner than adults. will become regular smokers. MENTAL HEALTH: THERE IS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUTH SMOKING AND DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS.? Personal perceptions: Expectations of positive outcomes from smoking, such as coping with stress and controlling weight, are related to youth tobacco use.” Other influences that affect youth tobacco use include:2® Lower socioeconomic status, including lower income or education Lack of skills to resist influences to tobacco use Lack of support or involvement from parents Accessibility, availability, and price of tobacco products Low levels of academic achievement Low self-image or self-esteem Exposure to tobacco advertising REDUCING YOUTH TOBACCO USE National, state, and local program activities have been shown to reduce and prevent youth tobacco use when implemented together. They include the following: v vi vi Higher costs for tobacco Prohibiting smoking in indoor Raising the minimum age of products (for example, through areas of worksites and public sale for tobacco products to increased taxesy=10" places2!o" 21 years, which has recently emerged as a potential strategy for reducing youth tobacco use" v vi v TV and radio commercials, Community programs and Community programs that posters, and other media school and college policies reduce tobacco advertising, messages targeted toward and interventions that promotions, and availability youth to counter tobacco encourage tobacco-free of tobacco products?"? product advertisements?" environments and lifestyles?"° Some social and environmental factors have been found to be related to lower smoking levels among youth. Among these are:? vo Religious participation vo Racial/ethnic pride and YW one academic achievement strong racial identity and aspirations Continued efforts are needed to prevent and reduce the use of all forms of tobacco use among youth. REFERENCES 1 10. 11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014 [accessed 2016 Apr 14]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health, 1994 [accessed 2016 Apr 14]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 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