Why Focus on Tobacco Use Among Youth?
CSAP decided to focus the first PEPS guideline on reduction of tobacco use by youth for three primary reasons. The first was the belief that effective prevention intervention in this area can have major health and economic benefits. The second was the existence of a substantial knowledge base that could be synthesized and presented to practitioners. Finally, such a document was considered a timely and essential complement to the States’ efforts to reduce tobacco use among youth as required by Public Law 102-321, popularly known as the Synar Amendment to the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act of 1992. Prevention experts believe that tobacco control efforts directed at adult smokers have little chance to progress beyond the current level of success. If additional progress is to be made to prevent individuals from smoking, tobacco control efforts need to be focused on youth. Studies show that few take up tobacco after the age of 18; most smokers who b
