Summary: As a nation we have made progress in reducing tobacco use among youth; however, far too many young people are still getting hooked.As a nation we have made progress in reducing tobacco use among youth; however, far too many young people are still using tobacco. Today, more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke cigarettes. Rates of decline for cigarette smoking have slowed in the last decade, and rates of decline for smokeless tobacco use have stalled completely. Tobacco use by youth and young adults causes both immediate and long-term damage. One of the most serious health effects is nicotine addiction, which prolongs tobacco use and can lead to severe health consequences. The younger youth are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they'll be addicted. The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Regina Benjamin, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss her summit on tobacco use and our youth, as well as how parents can directly influence their children's future health.
