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Teen Cigarette Smokers More Likely to Abuse Alcohol and Drugs

News Briefs - News Briefs

Written by John Casquarelli

Monday, 05 November 2007

The nicotine in tobacco products poses a significant danger to structural and chemical changes in developing brains that may make teens more vulnerable to alcohol and other drug addictions, in addition to mental illness, according to Tobacco: The Smoking Gun, a new white paper released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, commissioned by The Citizens’ Commission to Protect the Truth.

The Commission asked CASA to assemble the scientific evidence of the impact of nicotine on the adolescent brain, conduct original analyzes of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for the relationship between teen smoking, alcohol and illegal drug abuse, addiction and mental health, then issue a report on its findings.
CASA’s original analysis of data from the NSDUH finds that teens who smoke are nine times more likely to meet the medical criteria for past year alcohol abuse or dependence, and 13 times more likely to meet the medical criteria for abuse and dependence on an illegal drug than teens who don’t smoke.

“These findings sound an alarm for parents, teachers, pediatricians and others responsible for children’s health that smoking by teens may well signal the fire of alcohol and other drug abuse and mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders,” said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., chairman and president of CASA. “We have known for a long time that smoking causes deadly and crippling cancers and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Now we see the devastating effects that nicotine can have on the developing brains of our children and teens.”

Smoking, Alcohol, and Illegal Drug Use

Compared to 12 to 17 year-olds who don’t smoke, those who do are five times more likely to drink, and 13 times more likely to use marijuana than nonsmokers.

Compared to those who have never smoked, those who began smoking at age 12 or younger are three times more likely to binge drink, 15 times more likely to smoke marijuana, and seven times more likely to use other illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

Smoking and Mental Health Disorders

The CASA analysis also found that among teens ages 12 to 17, twice as many smokers as nonsmokers suffered from symptoms of depression in the past year. Teens who reported early initiation of smoking were more likely to experience serious feelings of hopelessness, depression and worthlessness in the past year.

The report also notes that smoking at a young age is related to panic attacks, general anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"We have long known that nicotine is extraordinarily addictive and that youth can become addicted extremely quickly," said Cheryl G. Healton, Dr.P.H., president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation. "This new report underscores what we know about the developing brains of teens who are highly vulnerable to personal, social and media influences to begin smoking and why it is so vital to reach them with information about tobacco before they start to smoke. Because 80 percent of smokers begin before age 18, when their young brains and bodies are so susceptible to the effects of nicotine, it is imperative that we stop what, for so many, will result in lost years and lives to tobacco addiction, disease and death."

Based on the findings of the white paper, CASA and the Commission recommend: