The report of the Surgeon General: preventing tobacco use among young people

This year's surgeon general's report on smoking and health is the first such report to focus on young people. From extensive data that indicate that tobacco use is a pediatric epidemic, the report reached six major conclusions: (1) Nearly all first use of tobacco occurs by age 18. (2) Most...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 1994-04, Vol.84 (4), p.543-547
Main Authors: Elders, M J, Perry, C L, Eriksen, M P, Giovino, G A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Advertising as Topic
Anniversaries
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Health Education
Humans
Medical sciences
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Public health
Self Concept
Smoking
Smoking - psychology
Smoking Prevention
Social Perception
Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control
Surgeons General
Teenagers
Tobacco
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco Use Disorder - prevention & control
United States
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Summary:This year's surgeon general's report on smoking and health is the first such report to focus on young people. From extensive data that indicate that tobacco use is a pediatric epidemic, the report reached six major conclusions: (1) Nearly all first use of tobacco occurs by age 18. (2) Most adolescent smokers are addicted to nicotine. (3) Tobacco is often the first drug used by young people who subsequently use illegal drugs. (4) There are identified psychosocial risk factors for the onset of tobacco use. (5) Cigarette advertising also appears to increase young people's risk of smoking. (6) Communitywide efforts have successfully reduced adolescent use of tobacco. This commentary restates each of the six conclusions, summarizes the data that support each, and then considers the implications of the conclusions for public health action.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.84.4.543