Current Tobacco Smoking and Desire to Quit Tobacco Smoking among Students Aged 13–15 Years — Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 61 Countries, 2012 to 2015

May 26, 2017 / Vol. 66 / 20

MMWR Introduction

Tobacco use is the world’s leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, resulting in nearly 6 million deaths each year. Smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes and cigars, are the most common form of tobacco consumed worldwide, and most tobacco smokers begin smoking during adolescence. The health benefits of quitting are greater for people who stop smoking at earlier ages; however, quitting smoking at any age has health benefits.

CDC used the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data from 61 countries across the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions to examine the prevalence of current tobacco smoking and desire to quit smoking among students aged 13–15 years.

WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO and developed in response to the tobacco epidemic, includes evidence-based measures that have the potential to reduce youth tobacco use. To assist with implementation of FCTC, countries can implement WHO’s MPOWER package. MPOWER is a set of evidence-based interventions intended to reduce tobacco use, including: Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies; Protecting people from tobacco smoke; Offering help to quit tobacco use; Warning about the dangers of tobacco use; Enforcing bans on tobacco sponsorship, promotion, and advertising; and Raising taxes on tobacco. When implemented as part of a comprehensive approach, these strategies can help reduce youth tobacco use.