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The risks associated with tobacco use and second hand smoke are well known. Because the vast majority of adults who smoke started before age 18 years, efforts aimed at prevention of tobacco use in pediatric patients have long-term benefits. The CDC reviewed nationwide data for 18,866 students who completed a school-based, self-administered questionnaire every 2 years regarding current tobacco use (including traditional cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, clove cigarettes [kreteks], and leaf-wrapped cigarettes [bidis]).
The most striking finding is a decrease in overall tobacco use from 15% in 2000 to 7% in 2011 among middle school students and from 34% to 23% among high school students. However, between 2009 and 2011, high school blacks r…