Big Steps against Teen Tobacco Use
Published on January 4, 2010 3:17 PM
Anti-tobacco legislations were approved in almost all states for to decrease smoking among minors. A recent study showed that more young people prefer better health than smoking cigarettes.
Statistics show that during the last nine years, more high school students said no to tobacco.
A study from 2000 to 2009 found that the percentage of West Virginia high school students who never have used any form of tobacco rose from 20.6 percent to 39.2 percent. Also from 2000 to 2009, the rate of current smokers among high school students decreased by 42 percent.
David Deutsch, the Youth Tobacco Prevention Program manager with the Department of Health and Human Resources' Division of Tobacco Prevention, said: "This is a surprising statement about the profits being made in our state, probably attributable in large part to the efforts of the thousands of teens participating in Raze."
Raze is West Virginia's teen-led tobacco prevention action, with a membership of more than 7,000 West Virginia youth. The campaign is funded and assisted by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources in cooperation with the state Department of Education and the American Lung Association.
"Raze makes a positive influence throughout the state. For example it has helped the youth to become leaders and fight back against tobacco's influence. This is very important, since tobacco companies are pouring millions of dollars into the marketing of their products in our state, including marketing new products to teens," Deutsch explained.
Bruce Adkins, state DTP director reported that the state established programs because intended to reduce and stop the use of tobacco by the citizens of this state, and, in particular, by teenagers.
The results are very good because thanks to youth prevention efforts 10,000 West Virginia teens have chosen health over smoking. Researchers showed that these youth, which never begun to smoking tobacco, even after they left high school, will probable remain tobacco-free.
"Using a life expectancy of just 70 years, these 10,000 teens (assuming they remain West Virginia inhabitants) would together save the state $3.1 billion over the course of their lifetime," Adkins continued.
Researchers found that thousands of West Virginia teens have proven to their peers and adults that tobacco use is not a pleasant habit.
