Youth and Tobacco
Tennessee remains one of the leading states in youth tobacco use, ranking behind only Alabama, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Approximately 22 percent of Tennessee’s high school students smoke, with more than 8,000 kids under 18 becoming new daily smokers each year. This translates into 132,000 kids are now alive who will die prematurely from smoking.
Consider these national statistics
- 3 million youth under the age of 18 are current smokers.
- More than a third of all kids who ever try smoking a cigarette become regular, daily smokers before leaving high school.
- Smoking can also seriously harm kids while they are still young, including respiratory problems, reduced immune function, increased illness, tooth decay, gum disease and pre-cancerous gene mutations.
- Smoking during youth is also associated with an increased likelihood of using illegal drugs.
Good News
Earlier this year, “The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control” was introduced allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. This will help place restrictions on marketing to children and regulate under a new standard – “appropriate for the protection of public health.” For more information, visit CHART’s newsroom to read “FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products: A Common Sense Plan To Protect Kids and Save Lives.”
What You Can Do
The Campaign for a Healthy and Responsible Tennessee invites you to join youth from across the state to make a difference in the fight against the suffering caused by tobacco use. Please click below to receive alerts and updates. Your participation is confidential.