Smoking and adolescence.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known and tobacco use started in adolescence can over time become a serious addiction with long-term health consequences. Tobacco was brought from America to Europe and has been used not only in Indian rituals, but also for medical purposes. In the 1950s and 1960s the adverse effects were revealed and the health community came out against tobacco smoking. This short communication presents recent trends in American and Israeli adolescent smoking. Recent surveys have shown a decrease in adolescent smoking, but it is still important to continue to reduce the numbers of adolescents who become nicotine dependent. Both American and Israeli youth had a current prevalence of smoking of 28%, so clinicians and practitioners must therefore do their utmost to help prevent smoking onset and try to intervene early to stop smoking among adolescents.