Young Smokers Have Quitting On Their Minds

Quitting is on the minds of young smokers well before full-blown addiction sets in, according to a new study from Canada. "Kids begin to think about quitting very soon after their first puffs," said lead author Jennifer O'Loughlin, a researcher with the department of social and preventive medicine at the University of Montreal. The study, which appears in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health, identified a paradox: Novice smokers, who seem to begin experimenting at the age of 12, continue to escalate their tobacco use while at the same time making several unsuccessful attempts to stop. During the five-year study, 319 Montreal teenagers filled out questionnaires on their smoking habits every three months. The researchers found that the first serious attempt to quit smoking came just two and a half months... [read full story]