Cigarettes and Youth

1. Cigarettes and Youth
Presented by Lucas Somma

2. The Basics
Part 1 of 2

3. What is a Cigarette?
■“A thin cylinder of finely cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking…”
■599 additives and 4000 chemicals used throughout the burning process
■Nicotine, an addictive additive, is most notorious for tobacco addiction
■The tobacco smoke from a cigarette is inhaled by the user

4. Why Are Cigarettes Addictive?
■Physiological
–The active drug in cigarettes is the chemical, “nicotine” which is highly addictive
–The body becomes physiologically addicted to the nicotine as well as to other
additives in the cigarette
■Psychological
–Psychological dependence occurs after repeated use
–The body finds stress relief while smoking
–Habits and associations are formed; i.e. smoking while using the bathroom, drinking
coffee, driving
■Sociological
–Smoking often begins and is ingrained with peer pressure
–Smoking can begin with dissatisfaction in life
–Associations and commonalities are formed while smoking; smoking turns into a
social occasion

5. Youth
Part 2 of 2

6. Do Teens Still Smoke?
■In 1975, 29% of 12
th
graders smoked on a daily basis
■In 2014, 24.6% of teens used tobacco products
■In 2014, 9.2% of teens used cigarettes

7. Social and Physical Environmental Factors
■Mass media guides public perception on smoking; teens will look to the
media to see cultural and societal norms
■Teens are more likely to use tobacco if their peers do
■High School athletes are more likely to smoke
■Parents influence smoking habits or lack thereof
■Low income citizens are more likely to smoke

8. Biological, Genetic, and Mental Factors
■Teens can become more dependent on nicotine and at quicker rates
–Youth under 14 are extraordinarily reliant on
–Both teens and adolescents will rate and show signs of reliance that is much higher
than adults
■Teens can be predisposed to addiction and/or have poor decision making depending
on how they were raised
■A mother can begin a reliance on nicotine starting at the womb; this may become
activated (spontaneous recovery) later on in life
■There is a high correlation between youth, and mental disabilities, as well as stress
■If a teen sees a positive outcome from cigarette usage, they are more likely to smoke

9. How to Reduce Teen Tobacco Usage
■Increase cost for tobacco
■Prohibiting smoking from public places which causes inconvenience
■Raising the minimum age to purchase to 21 years old
■Advertising against cigarette usage
■Community program and school policies that encourage healthy living
■Positive social environments reduce smoking significantly
–Religious participation
–Ethnic pride and racial identity
–Higher academic achievements and aspirations
■Traditional methods for smoking cessation, coped with an emphasis on education and
therapy will help teen users quit

10. Works Cited
■http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/
■http://www.everydayhealth.com/smoking-cessation/three-reasons-nicotine-is-
addictive-and-tips-to-help-quit-smoking.aspx
■http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/substance-
abuse/tobacco/trends.html
■http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/preventing-youth-tobacco-
use/factsheet.html
■http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/topic/smoking-among-youth/
■“Smoking 101: An Overview for Teens”