Teen smoking is on the decline, but so is funding

The number of teens that smoke tobacco could be declining, but cuts in anti-smoking could jeopardize progress.

Smoking tobacco by public high school students under 18 has decreased from 23 percent in 2000 to 17.6 percent in 2002, according to a study done by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released in December 2003. In middle schools the rate declined from 7.2 percent to 5 percent.

Only five Blair students regularly smoked tobacco, according to an informal survey of 100 Blair students. Thirty-six students said they have tried smoking, and have not become regular users.

In the same survey of 100 Blair students, 52 said that they thought smoking is becoming less popular in teen culture.

However, Blair health teacher Susan Soule thinks that smoking among teens is actually increasing and will not decrease as long as there is a mystery around tobacco. "Kids smoke cigarettes because they cannot buy them until they are 18, so it attracts some kids and makes them want to buy them," says Soule.

What is the cause

David Ngbea, a Blair faculty member and leader of Adolescent Smoking Cessation Escaping Nicotine and Tobacco Program (ASCENT) at Blair, feels that fewer teens are smoking because of education and the availability of information on the hazards of smoking. His program helps student who are smokers to quit and educates them on the risks of tobacco. Also, Ngbea believes many Blair students are committed athletes who do not smoke because of health risks and the possibility of suspension from Blair athletics if they are caught using tobacco.

Maryland state officials credit the decline to tobacco prevention and education programs, many of which began in 2001 with funding from a 1998 court settlement with 46 states and the tobacco industry. These programs include creating anti-smoking campaigns in schools and the media, and enforcing laws that keep minors from purchasing cigarettes.

Cuts in funding

Maryland will be receiving four billion dollars over 25 years from the settlement, yet the state is cutting tobacco prevention programs from $19.6 million in 2003 to $13.8 million for 2004.

Peter Fisher, a director of state issues for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, says the state government has to be committed to decreasing the use of tobacco amongst youth. "The key question here is will the governor and the legislature restore the money to the program so that the progress can be sustained," says Fisher in an interview with The Washington Post.

The ASCENT program is publicly funded by the national government and Ngbea thinks that cutting funding for programs like ASCENT will have a negative impact on ending teen smoking. "The state cutting funds exacerbates the situation. More money will educate more people and there will be less people who will want to use tobacco," says Ngbea.

Despite reported declines in smoking cigarettes, more than 80,000 Maryland teenagers under 18 still use tobacco.

Ways to decrease smoking

Soule says programs to help kids quit smoking and penalties for vendors who sell cigarettes to minors are important. "Programs that students could attend during lunch to help them stop smoking would be much more relevant," says Soule.

Ngbea also credits Montgomery County for banning smoking in restaurants and bars. He thinks more measures should be taken to restrict smoking and the purchasing of cigarettes. " The Montgomery County ban is a positive step forward in minimizing tobacco intake," says Ngbea.

Junior Mike Sindall has never tried smoking tobacco and does not plan to because of its risks and its negative health affects. He believes tobacco is becoming less popular and thinks that the ad-campaigns on television can be quite powerful. " The commercials, like, 'This many people die,' can be scary," says Sindall.

Teen smoking is still a problem among young people that will not disappear quickly, but measures can be taken to limit and reduce the number of teens consuming tobacco products.

For more information on smoking and anti-smoking campaigns visit these sites:

www.notobacco.org
www.tobacco.org
www.thetruth.com
www.cdc.gov/tobacco
www.lungusa.org/tobacco
www.cancer.org
www.tobaccofreekids.org

Quick facts about tobacco

» Tobacco causes more than 440,000 deaths a year.

» Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

» Cigarettes contain 11 chemical compounds known to cause cancer.

» 70% of smokers want to quit.

» 2,000 teens start smoking everyday.

» 80% of adult smokers started before they were 18.

» Cigarettes will kill one third of the people who use them.

» Nicotine can cause addiction in as little as two weeks.

» Every year 95% of the people that attempt to quit smoking are unsuccessful .