The U.S. teen tobacco use rate plummeted throughout the 1990s. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that from 2003 to 2010, the plummet slowed way down, making the national goal of reducing teen tobacco use by 16 percent or less by 2010 impossible. Even so, researcher Terry F. Pechacek and his team stated in the July 9, 2010 issue of the CDC's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" that tobacco use continued to drop among African-American females.
History
According to the CDC, in 1991, roughly 28 percent of high schoolers surveyed said they "currently smoke" or had smoked within the last 30 days. By 1997 the percentage of current high school smokers had increased to 36.4. By 2003 that percentage had dramatically dropped to 21.9. But by 2009 the percentage of current high school smokers had only fallen to 19.5 percent.
Time Frame
The CDC defines "frequent" tobacco users as those who used tobacco 20 or more times during the preceding 30 days. The percentage of high schoolers who identified themselves as frequent users rose from 12 percent in 1991 to 17 percent in 1997. This percentage dropped to 9.7 in 2003 and to 7.3 in 2009. Meanwhile, teens who claimed to have "ever" used any amount of tobacco remained at 70 percent during the 1990's, was 58.4 percent in 2003 and had dipped to 46.3 percent by 2009.
Causes
According to Pechacek, one reason for the stalled rate of decrease in teen tobacco use is that preventing and eliminating tobacco use among teens stopped being a societal and governmental priority. After the 1990s, states lost funding to educate teens about the dangers of tobacco, promote a tobacco-free lifestyle and help users quit. Also, the tobacco industry relentlessly targeted children and teens during those years as, says Pechcek, "the only voice out there with their $12 billion campaign..."
Significance
In a 2010 news release, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids president Matthew L. Myers said the "good news" is that the percentage of teens who smoke declined to less than 20 percent, reaching its lowest level since 1991 when the CDC first compiled statistics on teens and tobacco. But Myers called the stalled rate of the decline of tobacco use among teens "the bad news."
Solutions
Myers notes that the CDC teen tobacco use figures were compiled before June 22, 2009, when U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. This law gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration jurisdiction over tobacco products. Tobacco companies report that state cigarette taxes resulting from the law cause significant decreases in sales of their products. In addition, in 2010, the Food and Drug Administration placed new limits on the marketing and sale of tobacco to children.
Recommendation
In a study reported on in the July 2009 issue of the journal "Pediatrics" researcher Susanne E. Tanski, M.D. and her colleagues recommend that parents restrict teens from viewing movies that portray smoking because these movies may influence teens to use tobacco. Tanski's team suggest that if teens watch films featuring characters who smoke, parents should talk to them about the films to encourage them to live tobacco-free.
References
- CDC: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students --- United States, 2000--2009 Weekly August 27, 2010
- CDC: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Cigarette Use Among High School Students --- United States, 1991--2009 Weekly July 9, 2010
- U.S. News & World Report, Health: Decline in U.S. Teen Smoking Rate Stalls; 2010
- Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: CDC Survey Shows Youth Smoking Continues to Decline Slowly, But More Must Be Done to Accelerate Progress Statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
- "Pediatrics": Movie Character Smoking and Adolescent Smoking: Who Matters More, Good Guys or Bad Guys?
