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July 25, 2008
Research suggests teen smokers may only realize they are addicted once it is too late to quit
The Canadian Press (7/17) reports, "Teen smokers often try to quit and seriously believe they can, only realizing they're hooked when it's too late," according to a study published online Wednesday in the American Journal of Public Health.
Researchers at the Université de Montreal tracked "319 students age[d] 12 or 13 who" began smoking "during the five years of the research." At three-month intervals, "the group answered a questionnaire about their habits." Investigators found that "[m]ore than 70 percent expressed a desire to quit, but only 19 percent managed to go smoke free for 12 months or more."
The data also showed that "a month and a half into smoking, teenagers will naively try and stop smoking completely," Canada's Globe and Mail (7/17) adds. But, "by 21 months, they are no longer confident in their abilities to stop smoking, and are aware of the difficulty in quitting 32 months into the habit." Canada's CTV (7/16) also covered the story.
Related Links:
- "Teen smokers realize too late they're hooked: study," Canadian Press at CBC News website, July 17, 2008.
- "Teen smokers find it tough to stop," Caroline Alphonso, Canada's Globe and Mail, July 17, 2008.
Posted by admin at July 25, 2008 04:24 PM