Youth Prevention

Research

Teenage hookah smoking rates must be reduced, experts say
A study published in Preventing Chronic Disease reports that 18.5% of high school seniors admitted to smoking from a hookah in the previous year, and many are not aware of the health risks associated with hookah use. Hookah smoke contains many of the same toxins as cigarettes, and can lead to similar health effects such as lung cancer and respiratory illness. Predictors of who is more likely to smoke hookah are similar to those for cigarette smoking. Therefore, similar interventions for reducing cigarette use may also be effective in reducing hookah use. The authors cite increasing the price of shisha, the flavored tobacco that is smoked from hookahs, and adding graphic warning labels to shisha as possible interventions for reducing hookah use among teens. Click here to read more. Click here to read the study abstract.

'Hiding' cigarettes in stores might keep kids from smoking: Study
New research suggests that U.S. teens are less likely to purchase cigarettes if they are hidden from view. The purchases of 1,216 adolescents ages 13-17 were analyzed utilizing a virtual convenience store. Scenarios were presented to the participants where the placement of the tobacco product display at the point of sale was either hidden behind a cabinet or openly visible. The adolescents’ attempts to purchase tobacco products were assessed, and it was reported that the participants were less aware of the tobacco products when they were hidden, and were less likely to try to purchase them. Based on this research, the implementation of policies that ban tobacco product displays at the point of sale may prevent youth from purchasing tobacco products. Click here to read more about this study. Click here to read the abstract of the study in Pediatrics.

Teen girls who smoke may up risk for future bone disease
Previous research has reported that smoking may affect bones, and a recent study indicates that female teen smokers may be at a higher risk for later developing osteoporosis, a condition where bones lose mineral density and become brittle. Researchers examined how smoking, depression, anxiety and alcohol affected the bone development of girls between 11 and 19 years old. The girls were examined clinically, and their total body bone mineral content and bone mineral density were measured over a period of three years. Participants all started with about the same bone mass at age 13, but by the age of 19, those who were frequent smokers had lower spine and total hip bone mineral density. This was the first longitudinal study of this type, and the association found between smoking and a reduction in bone density suggests that girls who smoke are at a higher risk for osteoporosis compared to nonsmoking girls. Read more here. Click here to access the study abstract in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

top

Reports

New survey shows U.S. youth smoking rates fell to record lows in 2012
A new national survey finds that smoking rates among youth have significantly declined this year. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research surveyed about 45,000 to 50,000 students regarding their smoking behaviors. Findings show that the percentage of students that reported smoking in the last thirty days has decreased from 11.7% in 2011 to 10.6% in 2012. Additionally, the smoking prevalence among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders declined significantly from 2011 to 2012, reaching record low numbers in the 38 years that this survey has been conducted. This study provides evidence that efforts to reduce smoking rates among students in the U.S. have been successful, and that teens are being reached through the implementation of scientifically proven, population-based tobacco use prevention and cessation strategies (i.e. increases to tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws, and regulation of tobacco products and marketing). Click here to read more. Click here to access the full Monitoring the Future report, University of Michigan’s press release, and other related materials.

Addicted and conflicted: New national survey shows teens want to quit smoking
Results from a recent survey commissioned by Legacy and Seventeen magazine reveal that one in ten teen girls in the U.S. is a current smoker, and most smokers are interested in quitting. Teen girls ages 13-17 were surveyed regarding their behavior, attitudes, and opinions about quitting smoking. Nine percent of the girls were current smokers, and 70% of the teens who were smokers wanted to quit. Sixty percent had tried to quit, but less than half (40%) were successful. Additionally, about half found it more difficult than expected to attempt to quit smoking. With the publication of the findings in the November issue of Seventeen magazine, this study provides teen girls with real information to help them make the right choices about smoking and attempting to quit. Click here to read more.

Request for public comments: Draft recommendation on interventions to prevent tobacco use in children and teens
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) is accepting comments on a new draft recommendation aimed at preventing tobacco use by school-aged children and adolescents. A 2003 review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to approve routine screening for tobacco use among children or adolescents by physicians. As a result, the Task Force’s most recent review examined the benefits and harms of primary care interventions for tobacco use prevention and/or cessation in children and adolescents. The draft recommendation states that clinicians should educate and counsel patients aged 10-17 to quit smoking; however, the statement emphasizes the evidence on interventions to prevent tobacco initiation among young people. The draft recommendation is available for public comment until January 7, 2013 at 5pm Eastern Time. Click here to read more, and to submit a comment. Click here to access a fact sheet from the Task Force about this recommendation.

Illegal tobacco sales to minors makes historic decline (HI)
The Hawaii Department of Health reports that tobacco sales to minors have declined to the lowest levels recorded since the annual survey was first initiated in 1996. In this year’s survey, youth volunteers between 15 and 17 years old attempted to purchase tobacco at 209 stores across the state. The results showed that tobacco sales to minors dropped to 4.3% from the rate of 6.1% in 2011. The decline has been attributed to the Hawaii Department of Health’s efforts to reduce illegal tobacco sales to youth through educating store workers and owners. While this report shows improvements, the efforts must continue in light of the increasing variety of tobacco products available to youth in the state. Click here to read more, or access the full report here.

Wisconsin youth smoking drops to all-time low (WI)
New data from the 2013 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey reveals that tobacco use among young people in the state is at an all-time low. Thirteen percent of high school students and only 1.5% of middle school students reported being smokers, compared to the 2010 data which showed that 18% of high school students and nearly 4% of middle school students smoked. The director of the state department of health credits the success to partnerships between many public and private health organizations. Click here for the full story, or click here for more details.

top

Back to Table of Contents