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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Eliminate cigarette smoking initiation in adolescents and young adults — TU‑10

Status: Improving

  
Improving
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Most Recent Data:
3.5 percent (2019)

Target:
0.0 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
4.0 percent of adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 25 years who had not previously smoked cigarettes in their lifetime first smoked cigarettes in the past 12 months in 2018

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Eliminate the initiation of the use of cigarettes among adolescents and young adults

Target-Setting Method
Projection

Data Source:  National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), SAMHSA

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Summary

Most adults who smoke started before age 18 years, so preventing adolescents from starting is key to reducing smoking in adults. A comprehensive approach that includes raising the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21 years can help reduce smoking initiation in adolescents and young adults.

Topics:  Tobacco Use, Adolescents

Workgroup: Tobacco Use Workgroup

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