History

• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that youth smoking declined between 1997 and 2003. Since 2003, the CDC reports, smoking in young people has stabilized, with rates neither declining or rising.
  
  

Addiction

• Medline Plus reports it to be more difficult for people to stop smoking when they began using cigarettes in youth. Around 30 percent of smokers who start smoking as youths will die of a smoking-related disease.
  
  

Behavior

• The CDC explains that youths who smoke are more likely to take part in other high-risk behavior, including alcohol and drug use and high-risk sexual encounters. Youth tobacco use is also associated with low educational achievement and the approval of peers.