Tobacco.org

Big Tobacco's Profits From Youth Smokers Grow, Despite Smaller Numbers of Youth Smokers 

Despite a drop in the US youth smoking rate, tobacco companies’ revenue from youth smokers increased, according to a new report in the April issue of the journal Tobacco Control. In 1997 U.S. youth – defined as students in grades 8 through 12 -- smoked 890 million packs of cigarettes, which generated $737 million in revenue for the tobacco industry. . . .

American Legacy Foundation® President and CEO Cheryl Healton, Dr. P.H., the lead author of the research, said that despite the reduction in youth smokers – from 5.6 million in 1997 to 3.6 million in 2002 – the tobacco industry’s revenue generated from these young smokers has increased.

“We acknowledge that youth are sensitive to price, and that increased cigarette costs help us to reduce youth smoking,” Healton said. “However, price increases are not enough to significantly reduce incidences of youth smoking. Programs such as our national youth smoking prevention campaign truth® and similar state and local efforts must provide youth with information on smoking and tobacco industry marketing, so that youth can make informed decisions.”

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