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Problem Statement
Many people in the US continue to smoke and
the numbers have increased in teenagers. What can we do about it?
How do we get current smokers to stop and how do we prevent potential
smokers from starting?
Facts
Tobacco use constitutes the most
preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States,
accounting for more deaths than alcohol, car accidents, heroin, cocaine,
crack, homicide, firearms, and AIDS combined. Much of the damage
due to smoking, however, can be reversed within one year of quitting.
Decreasing the number of smokers should be a national priority according
to Healthy People 2000(Colman-Wallace 1999).
Conclusions
Through our research we conclude that
smoking is detrimental to overall health and wellbeing. Smoking
has negative effects on all body systems and once the habit is picked up
it is extremely hard to stop. Therefore, early prevention is the key to
reducing adolescent smoking and promoting healthy lifestyles.
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Statistics
about smoking...
Each day, nearly 4,800 adolsecents (aged 11-17) smoke their first
cigarette; of these, nearly 2,000 will become regular smokers. That is
almost two million annually.
Approximately 90 percent of smokers begin smoking before the age of
21.
Over 20 percent of 12th graders, 14 percent of 10th graders and 7.4
percent of 8th graders smoke cigarettes daily.
Adolescents who smoke regularly can have just as hard a time quitting
as long-time smokers.
Cigarette advertisements tend to emphasize youthful vigor, sexual
attraction and independence themes, which appeal to teenagers and young
adults struggling with these issues.
Tobacco use in adolescence is associated with a range of
health-compromising behaviors, including being involved in fights,
carrying weapons, engaging in high-risk sexual behavior and using alcohol
and other drugs.
- American Lung Association, 2002
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