Youth and Tobacco Products 11693

YOUTH AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS
http://www.gasp.org/youth.html
Teenagers are using cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, as well as smokeless tobacco, at an increasing rate.

Once addicted, they find it difficult to quit.

They are influenced

by the example of double standards such as permitting adults to smoke in public places including schools,
by brand marketing directed at youth,
advertisements,
tobacco sponsorship of sports and music events, and
by the portrayal of tobacco use in movies and television.

The tobacco industry's own documents demonstrate that the industry advertises and markets tobacco products to children.

"For the young smoker, the cigarette is not yet an integral part of life, of day-to-day life, in spite of the fact that they try to project the image of a regular, run-of-the-mill smoker. For them, a cigarette, and the whole smoking process, is part of the illicit pleasure category with wine, beer, shaving, wearing a bra (or purposely not wearing one), declaration of independence and striving for self-identity. For the young starter, a cigarette is associated with introduction to sex life, with courtship, with smoking "pot" and keeping late study hours."
British American Tobacco document.
"This young adult market, the 14-to-24 age group ... represent(s) tomorrow's cigarette business."
R.J. Reynolds [RJR] 1974 memo.
A 1973 RJR memo opined that a "comic-strip type copy might get a much higher readership among younger people than any other type of copy."
And a 1987 document explained that a new Camel product was "targeted at (the) younger adult male smoker (primarily 13-to-24-year- old male Marlboro smokers)."

CIGARETTES, CIGARS, AND PIPES:

Smoking has been steadily increasing among youth. Very few people begin tobacco use after age 21.
More than 90% of young people who use tobacco daily (cigarettes or smokeless) experienced at least one symptom of nicotine withdrawal when they tried to quit. 1
Teenagers can become addicted by smoking only one cigarette a day. 2
Smoking reduces the level of lung function and exercise tolerance in teenagers.
The effect is greater on girls than boys. 3, 4
Teenage smokers suffer from shortness of breath almost three times as often as nonsmoking teenagers. 3
The earlier smoking begins, the greater the risk of lung cancer due to smoking. 3
Teenage pregnancy is higher among smokers than among nonsmokers.
Smoking by pregnant teenagers imperils both the teenager and the fetus, and later the infant.
One out of four teenagers aged 14-19 reported having smoked at least one cigar within the past year. 5
Smoking is associated with other risky behaviors such as fighting and engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. 3

SMOKELESS TOBACCO:

One in every five males in grades 9-12 uses smokeless tobacco. 6
Smokeless tobacco products are offered on a graduating scale of nicotine content to avoid early rejection. The nicotine in smokeless tobacco is as addicting as the nicotine in cigarettes. 7

NICOTINE ADDICTION:

Tobacco products are designed to deliver sufficient nicotine to initiate and maintain addiction.

If they did not do so, the tobacco industry would neither attract nor retain its customers.

"Think of a cigarette pack as a storage container for a day's supply of nicotine.... Think of the cigarette as a dispenser for a dose unit of nicotine."
Tobacco Industry Internal memo, 1972.

Three fourths of young people who use tobacco daily report finding that, "it's really hard to quit." 6
Findings were the same for cigarette smokers and smokeless tobacco users. 6
Two thirds of young smokers say they want to quit. 6
70% of young smokers say they would not have started smoking if they could choose again. 6

More than 90% of young people who use tobacco products daily experienced at least one symptom of nicotine withdrawal when they tried to quit. 6

These statistics are almost identical with the experience of adult users. 6
TOBACCO IS A GATEWAY DRUG: 8

ALCOHOL : Teenage smokers are three times more likely than nonsmokers to use alcohol. 8
COCAINE : Teenage smokers are up to 105 times more likely than nonsmokers to use cocaine. 8
CRACK : Teenage smokers are up to 111 times more likely than nonsmokers to use crack. 8
MARIJUANA : Teenage smokers are up to 27 times more likely than nonsmokers to use marijuana. 8
ANY ILLICIT SUBSTANCES : Teenage smokers are up to 11 times more likely than nonsmokers to use any illicit substances. 8

ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE AT WORKPLACE: 9

Working teenagers and food service workers are often exposed to ETS at work.
Only 32% of working teens have a smoke-free work environment, which is the lowest rate of protection for any group. 9
Food Service Workers: Food service workers have a 50% higher risk of lung cancer than the general population. 9

REFERENCES

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 1994.
2 M.A.H. Russell. "Cigarette smoking: natural history of a dependence disorder." British Journal of Medical Psychology 44:1-16, 1971.
3 Surgeon General's Report: Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People, 1994.
4 D.R. Gold, et al. "Effects of cigarette smoking and lung function in adolescent boys and girls." New England Journal of Medicine 335:931-937, 1996.

5 National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1997.

6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 1996.

7 Testimony of Jack Edward Henningfield. Litigation Documents, 1.7 Tobacco Products Litigation Reporter 3.183-3.220, 1986.

8 Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1991.

9 National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported in Tobacco Control. October 1997.

Updated 12 Apr 1998