Tobacco and High School Students: The Deadly Truth

For many teens in the United States, high school is a time for learning more than just algebra and English. During this time period, students are becoming more aware of themselves through social situations and peer pressure. The number of teens lighting up each day is staggering. The CDC reports that, “each day in the United States, approximately 3,800 young people under 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette, and an estimated 1,000 youth in that age group become daily cigarette smokers” (2012). While tobacco use may not be new to American youth, it is becoming more alarming to the nation’s health providers. According to the Centers for Disease Control (2012), “tobacco use continues to be the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States, with nearly 443,000 deaths occurring annually because of cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.” The more alarming truth is that these grim statistics do not seem to scare off these students. The CDC (2012) goes on to state that, “moreover, nearly 90% of adult smokers begin smoking by age 18 years.” The data collected by the CDC has shown that between 1997 and 2003, cigarette use among teens had greatly declines, but in recent years, this decline has become even more gradual (2012). The reason for this decline could be linked to economic hardships and the influence of parental/guardian stress on teens.
                Smoking is more than just a simple decision made by the user. Studies show that there are several predisposing factors that contribute to an individual’s decision to smoke, “four domains of psychosocial variables, including social and interpersonal factors, attitudinal and belief factors, intrapersonal factors, and use of other substances, predicted one or more stages of smoking. The important correlates of transition from trial to experimental use (allPvalue <0 .001="" alcohol="" and="" approval="" by="" cigarette="" experimental="" friends="" from="" grade="" i="" included="" intentions="" marijuana="" of="" offers="" only="" parental="" predictors="" regular="" school="" significant="" smoking="" the="" to="" transition="" use.="" use="">P
< 0.01) and family conflicts (P< 0.05). We found some gender differences in these predictors” (Flay, Phil, Hu, & Richardson, 1998). Along with this information, background information has shown that the decision to use tobacco is primarily made during adolescence ( CDC, 2012). The CDC supports that, “More than 80% of adult smokers begin smoking before 18 years of age” (CDC, 2012). American teens are choosing to smoke before many of them can vote or even legally purchase the tobacco products.

Sources:

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. How Parents Can Protect Their Kids from Becoming Addicted                Smokers (PDF–198.96 KB). Washington: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2009 [accessed 2012 Feb 14].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health               Promotion. Health information for older adults. Accessed February 2011 from            www.cdc.gov/aging/info.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2009      (PDF–3.51 MB). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2010;59(SS-5) [accessed 2012 Feb 14].

CDC. Smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and productivity losses—United States,               2000–2004. MMWR 2008;57:1226–8.

Escobedo LG, Marcus SE, Holtzman D, Giovino GA. Sports Participation, Age at Smoking Initiation, and    the Risk of Smoking Among US High School Students. JAMA. 1993;269(11):1391-1395.              doi:10.1001/jama.1993.03500110059035.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2010 National Survey on               Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings

US Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults.                Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2012. Available at                 http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2012/index.htm. Accessed August 1, 2012.

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