Policy and Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention

Abstract: Background: Prevention of youth tobacco use remains as important now as it has in the past. About one in ten high school students report smoking in the last month, down from 28% in 1996, but the rate of decline has flattened in recent years. Method: This review summarizes selected policies that are effective in tobacco use prevention. Results: Effective policies include broadly directed tobacco price increases, limits on youth exposure and access to tobacco, restrictions on tobacco marketing content and location, restrictions on public smoking, and school and community based prevention education and skills building programs. Policies in smaller settings, such as family “no smoking” rules with parental monitoring and health care provider practices can also be protective. Conclusions: Multiple resources are available to support tobacco control activities.