Forty-eight million Americans smoked in 1997 which is equivalent to about twenty-five percent of the nation's adult population, according to a U.S. government survey released in November, 1999 (Cooper n.p.). According to Michael Ericksen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health, the smoking rate among young adults ages 18-24 rose about four percent because of the increase in teen smoking seen over the next ten years. He said, "As these teenagers have grown and aged and become young adults, they've brought with them their addiction" (Cooper n.p.). LuAnn Pierce, associate director of the American Cancer Society's Texas division, agrees saying, "The majority of smokers -- nine out of ten -- start smoking before they're 18" (Tanamachi n.p.). Obviousl, America has a tremendous smoking problem which predominately begin in the young perople the nation. What can prevent these kids from committing long term suicide from smoking? Many people believe in many different solutions.
English: Entrance to the headquarters of the Cente...
Hamilton Panorama
SmokeExperts say the only proven way to reduce smoking is to raise the price of cigarettes, through increased sales taxes. Kenneth Warner, professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health who has studied tobacco for twenty years, says, "Price is a significant factor in all products -- as price rises, demand goes down" (Tanamachi n.p.). Other experts believe the tobacco industry's marketing and advertising should be banned because they manipulate adolescents. Ken August, spokesperson for the California Department of Health, believes, "You can't tell young people they're going to get sick...but when you tell them they're being used by adults -- that really gets through" (Tanamachi n.p.). President Clinton agrees that marketing for tobacco should be stopped, but he also is convinced that passing tobacco legislation that will reduce teen smoking and benefit the well-being of American kids...