Young Smokers

A MINUTE OF HEALTH WITH CDC
Young Smokers
High School Students Who Tried to Quit Smoking Cigarettes — United States, 2007
July 30, 2009

This program is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC — safer, healthier people.
For teenagers it’s a lot easier to start smoking than to stop. According to a recent CDC report, 61% of high school students who reported smoking daily tried to quit, but only 12% were successful. Most adult smokers started when they were teenagers.

Nicotine, the chemical in tobacco that causes addiction, can lead to dependency, even in someone who has only been smoking for a short time. The best way to avoid becoming addicted to cigarettes is to never start smoking.

However, for parents of teens who already smoke, talk to your children about the dangers of tobacco, and then speak with your health-care provider about ways to kick this deadly addiction.

Thank you for joining us on A Minute of Health with CDC.

For the most accurate health information, visit www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO, 24/7.