Teenage tobacco use is a matter of great concern not only in the United States but all across the world. The concern is justified considering that the tobacco industry today has a renewed keen interest to capture two groups of members of society namely young people and women. These two groups are promising to the industry as they hold a great promise for continued marketing. Studies show that over 80 percent of people who currently smoke as adults started smoking as teens. On the other hand studies further show that women find it more difficult to quit smoking compared to men.
In the United States along an estimated 4000 to 5000 kids try their first cigarette on a daily basis. This figure thought to be ten times more across the entire globe. Each year in America over 400 000 kids begin smoking. One of the main reason why statistics look this bleak is the easy access to tobacco products especially cigarettes by kids. This access is usually at a community level and at school. In some states across the United States some success has been found through heavily penalizing outlets that make tobacco products to children. Higher taxes have also been found to make cigarettes unaffordable to youth somewhat helping with smoking cessation.
Another important reason why more and more kids have started using cigarettes is found in the fact that the tobacco industry has not been approaching this young market laying down. Up to 12 billion dollars is spent yearly promoting tobacco use. this amount translates to about $34 million per day. The marketing is concentrated and directed at young people. It is put across in a manner that influences the young Pipe tobacco near me folk and view smoking in high esteem. Research has shown that generally compared to older people, youth are more susceptible to tobacco advertising. In fact it has been shown that over 80 percent of the kids that smoke use the most intensely advertised cigarettes such as Marlboro, Camel and Newport.
Tobacco smoking amongst kids is a serious matter of concern also because kids are easily addicted to nicotine because of their young and maturing brain. This will prove very difficult to overcome even in adult years. Tobacco specifically affects children;s respiratory system, reduces immune function, leading to increased illness, tooth decay, gum disease and pre-cancerous gene mutations. For fear of these diseases and conditions, some kids have migrated to smokeless tobacco such as chew tobacco under the false belief that it is safer. As much as it far from the truth that it is safer, many kids still fail to realize that chewing tobacco equally caused oral cancers such as that of the mouth, throat and gums.
More aggressive smoking cessation interventions will have to come from governments to bring under control this disastrous menace. In particular governments and local authorities can take advantage of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to learn some strategic policy shifts to protect children and the general public from harmful habit of cigarette smoking and tobacco use in general.