Tobacco Use and United States Students
 
What is the problem?
  The 2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicates that among U.S high school students:
  
For Cigarette Use 
  45% ever tried cigarette smoking (even one or two puffs).
  18% smoked cigarettes on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. 
  6% smoked cigarettes on 20 or more days during the 30 days before the survey. 
  5% smoked cigarettes on school property during the 30 days before the survey. 
  50% did not try to quit smoking cigarettes, among students who currently smoked cigarettes, during the 12 months before the survey.
   
For Other Tobacco Use 
  8% used chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. 
  5% used chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip on school property on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. 
  13% smoked cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. 
   
For Any Tobacco Use 
  23% smoked cigarettes; smoked cigars, cigarillos or little cigars; or used chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey. 
  
What are the solutions?
  Better health education
  More family and community involvement
  Healthier school environments
  More comprehensive health services
  
What is the status?
  The School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006 indicates that among U.S. high schools:

In Health Education
  69% required students to receive instruction on health topics as part of a specific course.
  47% taught 17 tobacco-use prevention topics in a required health education course.

In Family and Community Involvement
  37% had a school health council that addressed tobacco-use prevention. 
  33% involved students' families and 48% involved community members in the development, communication, and implementation of policies or activities related to tobacco-use prevention.
  37% had or participated in a youth empowerment or advocacy program related to tobacco-use prevention.

In School Environment  
  66% prohibited all tobacco use in all locations (prohibited all tobacco use by students, faculty and school staff, and visitors; in school buildings, outside on school grounds (including parking lots and playing fields), on school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, and at off-campus, school-sponsored events).
  88% prohibited all tobacco advertising (prohibited tobacco advertising in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses or other vehicles, in school publications, and through sponsorship of school events, and prohibited students from wearing tobacco brand name apparel or carrying merchandise with tobacco company names, logos, or cartoon characters).
  60% posted signs marking a tobacco-free school zone.

In Health Services  
  57% provided tobacco-use prevention services at school in one-on-one or small-group sessions.
  29% provided tobacco-use prevention services to students through arrangements with providers not located on school property.
  46% provided tobacco-use cessation services at school.  
  27% provided tobacco-use cessation services to students through arrangements with providers not located on school property.
  
Where can I get more information?   
Visit www.cdc.gov/yrbss or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636). 
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention 
Division of Adolescent and School Health