Surgeon General Releases Report on Underage Tobacco Use

The Obama administration released a new report on underage tobacco use, which is the first report on the subject since the initial survey was performed in 1994.

Surgeon General Regina King (photo left) spoke. She was joined by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh.


The report focused on preventing tobacco use during adolescence and young adulthood, stating that nearly all first use of cigarettes occurs by 18 years of age (88%), with 99% of first use by 26 years of age. The report called for coordinated, multicomponent interventions that combine mass media campaigns, price increases including those that result from tax increases, school-based policies and programs and statewide or community-wide changes in smokefree policies.

Report on Youth Link: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/preventing-youth-tobacco-use/full-report.pdf