Youth tobacco use in Latin America: What is the real extent of the problem?

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study on youth tobacco use in Latin America. The study examines the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents and identifies associated risk and protective factors. The study was conducted in seven cities in five Latin American countries and surveyed over 6500 adolescents. The study's findings highlight the need for effective tobacco control measures to reduce youth tobacco use in the region.

Key Points:

* The study found that 38.5% of adolescents had tried smoking, and 37.5% started smoking before the age of 12.
* 61% of adolescents indicated easy accessibility to cigarettes whenever they felt like smoking, and 59% indicated wanting to quit smoking.
* 58.9% of participants reported smoking new types of cigarette with substances that cause less health-related harm, and 27.8% reported having used e-cigarettes before.
* 57.5% of youths were, over the past seven days, in the same room with someone who was smoking a cigarette.
* Major identifiable risks were smoking cigarettes offered by friends, smoking cigarettes with less harmful substances, knowing what a hookah is, being in the same room with smokers in the past week.
* The identifiable protective factors were knowing the health risks caused by smoking hookah and having their own room.
* The study highlights the need for effective tobacco control measures, including implementing and enforcing regulations on tobacco marketing and sales, and increasing public awareness of the harms of tobacco use.

Main Message:
The study highlights the urgent need for effective tobacco control measures to reduce youth tobacco use in Latin America. The findings emphasize the importance of regulating tobacco marketing and sales to prevent adolescents' exposure to tobacco products. The study also underscores the need for increasing public awareness of the harms of tobacco use, particularly among youth. To achieve this, policymakers should prioritize evidence-based interventions and collaborate with stakeholders, including public health organizations and civil society, to ensure effective implementation and sustainability. Ultimately, implementing and enforcing comprehensive tobacco control measures will protect the health and wellbeing of future generations in Latin America.

Urrutia-Pereira, M., D. Solé, H.J. Chong Neto, H. Badellino, V. Acosta, R.L. Castro-Almarales, M.G. León, et al. “Youth Tobacco Use in Latin America: What Is the Real Extent of the Problem?” Allergologia et Immunopathologia 47, no. 4 (July 2019): 328–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aller.2018.09.010.