|
|
|
Youth and Nicotine Addiction
Background
- More than 90% of young people (ages 10-22 years) who use tobacco
daily experienced at least one symptom of nicotine withdrawal when
they tried to quit.*
- Approximately three quarters of young people (ages 10-22 years) who
use tobacco daily report that they use it because "it's really
hard to quit." Findings were the same for cigarette smokers and
for smokeless tobacco users.*
(*Source: Reasons for Tobacco Use and
Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal Among Adolescent and Young Adult
Tobacco Users MMWR Article)
- 43% of young people (ages 10-22 years) who smoke as few as 3
cigarettes go on to become regular smokers. The process of becoming a
regular smoker occurs over an average of 2-3 years, once use has
begun. (Giovino GA, Zhu BP, Tomar S. Epidemiology of tobacco use
and symptoms of nicotine addiction in the U.S. Testimony to the FDA,
Aug. 2, 1994; CDC. Preventing tobacco use among young people A
report of the Surgeon General. 1994, p. 124)
- Among high school seniors, 73% of daily smokers who think they won't
be smoking daily in 5 years still are. (CDC. Preventing tobacco use
among young people. Table 22, p. 86)
- 70% of 12-18-year-olds who were past-month smokers felt they needed
cigarettes or were dependent on cigarettes. (CDC. Preventing
tobacco use among young people. Table 32, p. 95)
- 70% of youth (ages 12-17 years) who smoke indicated that they would
not have started if they could choose again. (Gallup 1992)
- Among 12-18-year-old smokers
- 74% had seriously thought about quitting
- 49% had tried to quit during previous 6 months (CDC.
Preventing tobacco use among young people, p. 78)
- The message is simple: Children who smoke like adults become
addicted like adults.
- They want to quit, but can't.
- They don't see themselves as smokers in the future, but are.
- They try to quit, but fail. (U.S. Surgeon General, 1994)
|
|
