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Young Teens May Develop Smoking Addictions Faster, Sooner Than Previously Thought

More people die from smoking in the U.S. each year than from any other cause of death that's considered "preventable," and researchers believe young people may become addicted to smoking even faster and sooner than previously believed - even if the numbers of cigarettes they're smoking don't fit the traditional "addict" level.

Results from national surveys, evaluated by University of Maryland Baltimore School of Nursing, show that some young people who begin to smoke escalate to a nicotine dependence level in less than 24 months. Previously, it was believed that the symptoms of a smoking addiction were not clearly present until a smoker was an adult. The current research indicates that even if a smoker doesn't show every sign of addiction, such as how often or how many cigarettes they use, they may still be developing the addiction to tobacco.

Additional studies show that children who have problematic grade school behaviors may have a higher chance of beginning to smoke as a young teen and develop an addiction, laying a case for stronger and earlier prevention efforts.

Lead researcher, Carla Storr, RN at the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Nursing, states the meaning of the research in simple terms in a story from Medical News Today: preventing young people from starting to smoke, even at an early age, means less efforts later at helping adults to kick the habit.

An estimated 438,000 people die each year in the U.S. from illness linked to smoking.