Youth who smoke heavily are 30 times more likely than non-smokers to try illegal drugs. An estimated 3.7 million teenagers smoke and 3,000 young people become regular smokers every day. Each year 947 million packs of cigarettes and 26 million containers of spitting tobacco are sold to minors illegally. Nearly all first use of tobacco occurs before high school graduation. Most young people who smoke are addicted to nicotine and report that they want to quit but are unable to do so.
Tobacco is often the first drug used by young people who use alcohol and illegal drugs.
Among young people, those with poorer grades and lower self-images are most likely to begin using tobacco. Cigarette advertising appears to increase young people's risk of smoking by conveying that smoking has social benefits and that smoking is far more common than it really is. The most effective preventive programs are community-wide efforts that combine education and public policy approaches.