by J. Howard Beales

About the author: J. Howard Beales is an associate professor of strategic management and public policy at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Teenage smoking provokes controversy and continuing policy proposals to “do something’’ about a phenomenon that all would prefer did not exist. From the rhetoric surrounding the issue, a casual observer would likely conclude that teen smoking was either a recent problem or a rapidly increasing one. Neither perception is correct, despite recent reports of an increase in smoking among high school students. Although teenage smoking remains a concern, the facts suggest that the long-standing policy of educating teens as well as adults about the risks of smoking is working and is resulting in significant declines in smoking.

The Extent of Teenage Smoking