SMOKELESS-TOBACCO USE BY 12TH GRADERS HITS 11-YEAR HIGH

The use of smokeless-tobacco products reached an 11-year high among
12th graders nationwide in 2009, according to the annual Monitoring
the Future study released yesterday.

The study by University of Michigan researchers found that 8.4 percent
of 12th graders used the products within a 30-day period - the highest
level since 8.8 percent in 1998. The rate had been as low as 6.1
percent in 2006 and was 6.5 percent in 2008.

The rate of use among 8th graders rose from 3.5 percent in 2008 to 3.7
percent in 2009, while the use among 10th graders increased from 5
percent to 6.5 percent.

By comparison, 20.1 percent of 12th graders said they smoked within a
30-day period compared with 20.4 percent in 2008.

The study, in its 35th year, included 46,097 8th, 10th and 12th
graders from 389 schools.

It also showed that marijuana use is becoming more popular among U.S.
teens and that they have cut down on binge drinking and using
methamphetamine. The study comes on the heels of a report released by
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that
showed that more local high-school students were using marijuana than
smoking cigarettes.

SIDEBAR: Teens And Tobacco Use:

Although the decline in cigarette use among teenagers has slowed
recently, use of smokeless tobacco is rebounding.

Grade 1999 smoking rate 2004 rate 2009 rate. Eighth 17.5 percent 9.2
percent 6.5 percent. Tenth 25.7 percent 16 percent 13.1 percent.
Twelfth 34.6 percent 24.4 percent 20.1 percent.

Grade 1999 smokeless rate 2004 rate 2009 rate. Eighth 4.5 percent
4.1 percent 3.7 percent. Tenth 6.5 percent 4.9 percent 6.5 percent.
Twelfth 8.4 percent 6.7 percent 8.4 percent.

Source: Monitoring the Future study by University of Michigan
researcher.

Most researchers and analysts say that it is too soon to tell whether
the combination of new smokeless-tobacco products, particularly at
subsidiaries of Reynolds American Inc., and recent prominent
advertising in magazines played a prominent role in the increases in
the use of smokeless-tobacco products.

But the report is likely to stoke further debate between two sets of
anti-smoking groups.

One set says smokeless tobacco serves as gateway products for
teenagers to cigarettes. The other set encourages the products as a
way to reduce the risk of tobacco use compared with cigarettes.

"oeThese new products no doubt appeal to kids because they are easy to
conceal, carry the names of youth-popular cigarette brands, and come
in candy-like forms and flavors,"oe said Matthew Myers, the president
of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "oeMore than 60 percent of
smokeless marketing is spent on price discounts, including coupons,
that make smokeless tobacco products more affordable and appealing to
price-sensitive youth customers."oe

Among the more outspoken proponents of smokeless-tobacco products as
reduced-risk alternatives has been Bill Godshall, the executive
director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania.

"oeIt appears that more youth smokers, like adult smokers, are
beginning to substitute smokeless tobacco for cigarettes,"oe Godshall
said. "oeSince cigarettes are 100 times more hazardous than smokeless
tobacco, public health benefits every time a smoker switches to
smokeless, regardless of age."oe

The increased marketing of smokeless tobacco likely has had some
effect on teenagers, said Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and
community medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Spangler is involved in federally funded research aimed at developing
strategy for reducing use or even quitting smokeless-tobacco products.

"oeIt should be noted that research does not support the concept that
people will quit smoking by switching to smokeless,"oe Spangler said.
"oeIn fact, there is a very high risk that smokers who turn to
smokeless tobacco become dual users of cigarettes and oral tobacco."oe

David Howard, a Reynolds spokesman, said that "oeit is a guiding
principle of the company that youth should not use tobacco products.
All of our marketing communications are designed for, and communicate
with, adult tobacco consumers."oe

Although it was the 10th time in the past 12 years that the smoking
rate among 12th graders declined, anti-tobacco advocates said they are
concerned by the marginal drop.

That's because the number of adults who smoke rose from 19.7 percent
in 2007 to 20.6 percent - or 46 million Americans - in 2008, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"oeThe proportions of students seeing a great risk associated with
being a smoker has leveled off in the past several years,"oe Johnston
said.

One factor in the continuing decline of cigarette smoking among
teenagers may be hormonal - 81 percent of 8th graders, 80 percent of
10th graders and 75 percent of 12th graders said "oethey would prefer
to date people who don't smoke."oe

"oeIt is clear that any young person today who becomes a smoker will
pay an important social price for that choice by becoming less
attractive to the great majority of the opposite sex,"oe the
researchers said.