Adolescent users of smokeless tobacco Have early signs of gum disease. Develop lesions in their oral soft tissue a possible warning sign of cancer. Are much more likely than nonusers to become cigarette smokers. Peers, siblings, and friends are powerful influences. The most common situation for first trying a cigarette is with a friend who already smokes.
Young people are sensitive to perceived signals that smoking is the norm.
These signals include visible public smoking, the availability of cigarettes to minors, and the widespread promotion and advertising of tobacco products. A 1992 national sample found that 87 percent of the adolescents surveyed could recall recently seeing one or more advertisements for tobacco products. The tobacco industry loses and therefore must replace some two million consumers each year, either because they quit smoking or because they die. Studies show that the vast majority of new consumers will come from the ranks of young people. Intentionally or not, then, successful tobacco marketing influences adolescents.