| Warnings about the dangers of smoking are
not working with Washington teenagers, says a study showing that more
youths are smoking, and in steadily increasing numbers, the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer reported Aug. 22.
"They're not getting the message," said Juliet VanEewyk, an epidemiologist who helped write the report for the state Department of Health and Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. "I'm not sure how they're missing it, except Hollywood continues to glamorize cigarettes more and more. It's amazing how many movies have the good guy, the beautiful people, puffing away." According to the report, 35 percent of 12th-graders reported smoking in 1999, compared with 22 percent in 1992. Overall, the study found that 36 percent of Washington students in grades nine through 12 reported using some type of tobacco product, including chewing tobacco and cigars, within one month of filling out the questionnaire last year. "Obviously, when it comes to both tobacco and alcohol use, we haven't made much of an impact," VanEewyk said. "What we've been doing in the past just hasn't worked. |