Teen Smoking Still A Problem
The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta says teenage tobacco use
continues to be a major public health problem in the United States.
Researchers
found that 15.1 percent of middle school students and 34.5 percent of high
school students had used some form of tobacco within the previous 30 days.
The report also
said that cigarettes are relatively easy for youth to purchase. Of current
cigarette smokers under the age of 18, some 60 percent of middle and high
school students were not asked to show proof of age when they bought or
tried to buy cigarettes.
Additionally,
an equal percentage of middle and high school smokers under the age of
18 reported that they were not refused purchase of cigarettes because of
their age.
The report summarizes
data from the 2000 National Youth Tobacco Survey and 29 state surveys conducted
last year.
--
Copyright 2001 by United
Press International.
All rights reserved.
--
|