By Jillian Bannister
Buffalo, NY – Preliminary results of a survey of tobacco use among teens in Erie County finds a decrease in smoking.
Researchers questioned more than seven thousand ninth graders. They say youth smoking rates have decreased by 59 percent since 1996.
Dr. Andrew Hyland, a senior research scientist at Roswell Park, says there are about 8,500 fewer young smokers. Hyland says the decline is due to rising cigarette prices, indoor smoking bans and effective media messages.
"These declines have occurred at a time when cigarette prices had increased by about 60 percent," Hyland said. "New York State has passed a comprehensive indoor air regulation. We see hard hitting media messages that tell the toll tobacco takes on individuals, their families and society."
Still, Hyland says more needs to be done to curb aggressive tobacco ads targeting young adults.