Smoking and Youth (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: Teen smoking

Nearly a quarter of high school students in the U.S. smoke cigarettes. Another 8% use smokeless tobacco. Smoking has many health risks for everyone. However, the younger you are when you start smoking, the more problems it can cause. For example:

People who start smoking before the age of 21 have the hardest time quitting.
About 30% of youth smokers will continue smoking and die early from a smoking-related disease.
Teen smokers are more likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs.
They are more likely to have panic attacks, anxiety disorders and depression.

Parents and other adults who work with children can help by warning them of the risks of smoking. They can also set a good example by not smoking themselves.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

Smoking Stinks!(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/smoking.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/smoking_esp.html
Smoking: Don't Let It Steer You Wrong(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/tobacco/274.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/addictions/tobacco/274.printerview.html
You(th) & Tobacco(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/youth/information_sheets/yuthfax1.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/tabaco/teen_tabaco.htm

Overviews

Child and Teen Tobacco Use(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Child_and_Teen_Tobacco_Use.asp?sitearea=PED
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ESP/content/ESP_2_1x_Datos_sobre_el_uso_del_tabaco_en_los_nios_y_adolescentes.asp
Kids and Smoking(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/smoking.html
Smoking(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/smoking.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/drogas/smoking_esp.html
Smoking - The Facts(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/smokingthefacts/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/smokingthefactsspanish/htm/index.htm

Latest News

College Students Continue to Take up Smoking(09/08/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69005.html
Home Smoking Ban Keeps Teens from Lighting Up(08/22/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68473.html
Tobacco Marketing Promotes Youth Cigarette Use(08/21/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68421.html
More News on Smoking and Youth http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_s.html#smokingandyouth

Prevention/Screening

Teens and Smoking: 10 Ways to Help Teens Stay Smoke-Free(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/teen-smoking/HQ00139/METHOD=print

Related Issues

Bidis and Kreteks(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/bidis_kreteks.htm
Nicotine(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_nicotine1.asp
Parents: Nicotine Is a Real Threat to Your Kids(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Nicotinethreat.html
Path to Smoking Addiction Starts at Very Young Ages(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0127.pdf
Tobacco Harm to Kids(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0077.pdf
Where Do Youth Smokers Get Their Cigarettes?(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0073.pdf

Pictures & Photographs

Images of Lungs(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22577

Tutorials

Smoking - The Facts(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/smokingthefacts/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/smokingthefactsspanish/htm/index.htm

Anatomy/Physiology

Learn about Your Respiratory System(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=40743

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Smoking and Youth(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=smoking+%5BCONDITION%5D+AND+child+%5BAGE-GROUP%5D

Research

Genetic Predisposition and Depression Both Influence Teen Smoking(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol20N4/Genetic.html
Increasing Evidence Points to Link Between Youth Smoking and Exposure to Smoking in Movies(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/TeenSmokingMovies
Menthol Cigarettes May Be Harder to Quit(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/research/menthol.html

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: A randomized trial of nicotine nasal spray in adolescent smokers. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18762494&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: The effects of smoking on the rate of postoperative hemorrhage... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711053&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Green tea consumption is associated with decreased DNA damage among... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18641208&tool=MedlinePlus
Smoking and Youth -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(smoking[majr]+OR+tobacco+use+disorder[majr])+AND+adolescent[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[tw]+OR+jsubsetn[tw]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

ABC's of Tobacco(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - http://tobaccofreekids.org/abc/frameset.htm

Organizations

American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
American Lung Association - http://www.lungusa.org/
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - http://tobaccofreekids.org/
National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/

Law and Policy

State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI)(American Lung Association) - http://slati.lungusa.org/

Statistics

Parent Awareness of Youth Use of Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Marijuana(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/parents/parents.htm
Smoking and Kids(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0001.pdf
Tobacco Use among Youth(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0002.pdf
Toll of Tobacco in the United States of America(National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids) - Links to PDF - http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0072.pdf
Youth and Tobacco Use: Current Estimates(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/youth_tobacco.htm

Children

Smoking and Asthma(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/managing_asthma/triggers/smoking_asthma.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/smoking_asthma_esp.html
Smoking Stinks!(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/smoking.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/smoking_esp.html
What Kids Say about: Tobacco(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/poll_tobacco.html

Teenagers

Mind Over Matter: Nicotine(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/mom_nic1.asp
Also available in Spanish http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/mom_nic1_spanish.asp
Smoking and Asthma(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/smoking_asthma.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/asthma_basics/espanol/smoking_asthma_esp.html
Smoking: Don't Let It Steer You Wrong(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/tobacco/274.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/addictions/tobacco/274.printerview.html

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Smokeless Tobacco - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smokelesstobacco.html
Smoking - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smoking.html
Smoking Cessation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smokingcessation.html
Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
Substance Abuse Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/substanceabuseproblems.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Smoking and Youth is the National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/