Tobacco
COMPLETE THE SURVEY BELOW AND HELP US LEARN MORE ABOUT TOBACCO USE IN OUR COMMUNITY:
According to the CDC, use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe, irrespective of whether it is smoked, smokeless, or electronic. If smoking continues at current rates, 5.6 million—or 1 out of every 13—of today’s children will ultimately die prematurely from a smoking-related illness.
Because most people who smoke as adults began in their youth, it is important for our families and community to work to help middle and high school students avoid experimenting with tobacco products.
FROM THE CDC: Factors associated with youth tobacco product use include the following:
- Social and physical environments
- The way mass media show tobacco product use as a normal activity can make young people want to try these products.
- Youth are more likely to use tobacco products if they see people their age using these products.
- High school athletes are more likely to use smokeless tobacco than those of the same age who are not athletes.13
- Young people may be more likely to use tobacco products if a parent uses these products.
- Biological and genetic factors1,2,12
- There is evidence that youth may be sensitive to nicotine and that teens can feel dependent on nicotine sooner than adults.
- Genetic factors may make quitting smoking harder for young people.
- Smoking during pregnancy may increase the likelihood that the child will smoke cigarettes regularly in the future.
- Mental health: There is a strong relationship between youth smoking and depression, anxiety, and stress.2
- Personal views: When young people expect positive things from smoking, such as coping with stress better or losing weight, they are more likely to smoke.2,12
- Other influences that affect youth tobacco use include:2,12,
- Lower socioeconomic status, including lower income or education
- Not knowing how to say “no” to tobacco product use
- Lack of support or involvement from parents
- Accessibility, availability, and price of tobacco products
- Doing poorly in school
- Low self-image or self-esteem
- Seeing tobacco product advertising in stores, on television, the Internet, in movies, or in magazines and newspapers
To learn more about tobacco prevention, visit the Center Point web site.
