VOA标准英语2012--US Surgeon General Says More Needed to Curb Teen Smoking

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While the overall rate of tobacco use has drastically declined since the first surgeon general's report more than 40 years ago, this report shows that children as young as 10 are developing a deadly tobacco addiction². Surgeon General Regina Benjamin says the statistics are shocking. "Every day 1,200 Americans die from smoking. And each of those people are being replaced by two young smokers³," she stated. 

The goal is to end tobacco use among teens and young adults. Studies show that teenagers are much more vulnerable than adults to the addictive⁴ properties of nicotine⁵, a drug found naturally in tobacco. And that tobacco use interferes⁶ with lung development.

More than 90 percent of adult smokers lit up their first cigarette before they turned 18. Many start the habit when they are in middle school, between 11 and 13 years old. "Today, more than 600,000 middle school students smoke, and three million high school students smoke cigarettes," Benjamin explained.

Studies also show that more than one in three young adults between the ages of 16 and 26 smoke. On the other hand, fewer than one percent of smokers start after the age of 26. 

Dr. Benjamin outlined plans to launch a media campaign like this one aimed at youth. "I want our next generation to be tobacco-free," she said. "That's the goal, to have our next generation tobacco free."

Dr. Benjamin wants to involve parents and teachers and to refocus on community anti-smoking programs, including programs in schools.

The report criticizes tobacco companies for advertising⁸ campaigns that target young people and for making products like tobacco candy. 

It cites the effectiveness of placing higher sales taxes on tobacco products, which make them too costly⁹ for most teens to buy. 

A U.S. Health Department spokesman said helping¹⁰ young people avoid tobacco addiction will cut the number of tobacco-related illnesses and premature¹¹ deaths and spare more families the devastating¹² emotional toll¹³. 

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