By fall 2000, the program activities listed above were occurring in 18 sites across the pilot area. The number of youth using tobacco in Texas is extremely high, especially when compared to the usage level among adults. Initial research indicates an alarming 32 percent of high school students are current cigarette smokers, compared to 22 percent of adults. Among youth, sixth-graders are most at risk of becoming smokers. Local business, civic and community leaders recognize youth tobacco use as a serious problem and want to implement prevention programs, but resources have not been available.
Isolated interventions are difficult to implement.
Local communities want a variety of programs that address the needs of current tobacco users and youth along with establishing policies that make it easy not to smoke. It takes time to prepare community leaders in strategies of tobacco prevention and control and then to establish and coordinate programs before significant behavioral changes can be seen. At baseline community tobacco control and prevention programs were limited or non-existent. People are ready and responding well to tobacco control and prevention programs. Infrastructure development is needed.