Facts About Teen Smoking in North Carolina
OK... so we've given you the facts about teens and smoking (that's the Facts About Teen Smoking page if you haven't already checked it out)... but now we'll do you one better! Read on to find out what's going on right here at home - facts about teens and smoking in North Carolina.
- According to the 2007 NC YTS, fewer N.C. teens are smoking than ever. These record-breaking figures show 19 percent of N.C. high school students and 4.5 percent of N.C. middle school students are current cigarette smokers.
- Smoking rates among adults are holding steady in North Carolina, and teen smoking has been decreasing in recent years. North Carolina middle school tobacco use rates have fallen from 15 percent in 1999 to 4.5 percent in 2007.
- Smoking among young people increases with age – 2.1 percent of 6th graders smoke. By 12th grade that number has increased to 25 percent.
- Forty-two percent of high school students who smoke could not stay off cigarettes for as long as 30 days the last time they tried to quit. Quitting smoking is as hard for tobacco users as quitting heroin is for heroin users!
- Spit tobacco use is not decreasing among North Carolina teens. Currently 14.5 percent of high school boys and 3.3 percent of middle school boys are spit tobacco users. See the 2007 N.C. YTS Spit Report (link opens in new window) for more information.
- According to the 2007 N.C. Youth Tobacco Survey (N.C. YTS), 19 percent of N.C. high school students and 12.8 percent of N.C. middle school students own an item with a tobacco logo.
On odd-numbered years between 1999 and 2007, North Carolina has conducted the N.C. Youth Tobacco Survey (NC YTS). Through this survey, we can track teen tobacco use levels as well as student views on teen access to tobacco products, school policies, cessation activities in schools and many other issues. See the most recent N.C. YTS survey results (link opens in new window).