[How can we prevent teenage smoking ?]

Abstract

Smoking rates in Europe are falling steadily among teenagers. The main reasons why young people start smoking are highlighted. Preventing young people from starting to smoke is based on a combination of three approaches: firstly, interventions in schools, incorporating educational programs from an early age; secondly, comprehensive tobacco control measures, such as bans on sales to minors and higher taxes on tobacco products; -thirdly, targeted communication campaigns. Finally, parents and families play an important role in providing a smoke-free environment and setting an example by giving up smoking. Many prevention programmes have been validated, but are still too infrequently deployed. We also need to prevent new modes of consumption that bring nicotine. In this way, we can work by accelerating progress to curb the tobacco epidemics and moving towards the ultimate goal of a smoke-free generation.