A brief review of adolescents and tobacco: What we know and don't know

Smoking among teenagers is a major public health problem, and the purpose of this article is to review the literature concerning etiological factors of teen smoking, effects of prevention programs on reducing rates of teenage smoking, and the efficacy of smoking cessation treatment. Peer, family, and intrapersonal factors all play a role in the continuum of initiation to regular use. Prevention programs focusing on social norms governing teenage smoking are particularly effective in reducing onset of smoking behavior. Finally, behavioral cessation programs have been shown to be effective in reducing teenage smoking. Future directions concerning prevention and cessation research are discussed.