Developing Treatment for Tobacco Addicted Youth–Issues and Challenges

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Abstract
SUMMARY It is now clear that adolescence is not only the primary time during which cigarette smoking is initiated; it is also the time during which the transition from experimentation to some level of dependence occurs. As discussed in this review, by age 18 approximately two-thirds of cigarette smokers regret having started smoking, one-half have already made a quit attempt, and nearly 40% have some interest in obtaining treatment for their dependence. Unfortunately, treatment in young people has not kept pace with the emerging need for treatment and many fundamental issues require study; in fact it is not clear the degree to which adult-validated treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapies, will be of comparable levels of benefit and risk in young people. The issues that require research include (1) a thorough consideration of adolescent nicotine dependence and potential pharmacologic adjuncts, (2) a consideration of social, health, risk perception, and intrapersonal factors that may facilitate o...