NCJ Number
183192
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 39 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2000 Pages: 682-693
Editor(s)
Mina K. Dulcan M.D.
Date Published
June 2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Epidemiological and pharmacological data, information on risk factors and characteristics of tobacco use by adolescents, and treatment intervention reports are used to review and discuss the tobacco epidemic in adolescents that impacts treatment decisions.
Abstract
Of students in grades 9 to 12, 42.7 percent have used tobacco, and 75 percent of teenage smokers will smoke as adults. Environmental and biological factors influence adolescent smoking, including social-developmental aspects of adolescence, psychiatric history, genetic background, ethnic and gender characteristics, drug effects, and regulatory factors. Criteria for nicotine dependence, however, are currently based on the experience with adult smokers. Further, smoking cessation treatment for adolescents has generally been disappointing because of low participation, high attrition, and low quit rates. Treatment interventions for adolescents are described that encompass psycho-social interventions, pharmacological approaches, combined approaches, and youth-tailored approaches. The authors believe characterization of nicotine dependence and further assessment of the safety and efficacy of pharmacological treatment interventions for adolescents are needed, given the formidable challenge of the tobacco epidemic in adolescents. 100 references and 3 tables