New Hampshire - high school students smoking less but smokeless tobacco and cigars use UP..

April 7, 2010 - CONCORD, NH - A survey released by state health officials shows that smoking rates have gone down among New Hampshire high school students.

2007 - 2009 NH YOUTH TOBACCO STATEWIDE SURVEY INCLUDING COMPARISON WITH 2001 - 2004.., New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, Bureau of Prevention Services, Tobacco Prevention and Control Program

The Youth Tobacco Survey showed that 16 percent of high-schoolers reported smoking cigarettes in 2009, compared to 25.3 percent in 2001. But the use of chewing tobacco increased to 7.4 percent, compared to 4.5 percent in 2001. Cigar use also climbed to 14.5 percent in 2009, compared to 11.8 percent in 2001.

"We are making progress and seeing a reduction in the use of some tobacco products, such as cigarettes," said Dr. Jose Montero, director of public health at the Department of Health and Human Services. "Still, there are concerns that young people may be increasing their use of other tobacco products, such as smokeless tobacco, which opens the door to nicotine addiction and future smoking."

Tobacco use was higher among boys, with 30.5 percent reporting that they currently use some form of tobacco, compared to 19.5 percent of girls. But there was no significant difference in cigarette smoking prevalence between boys and girls, with 16.5 percent of boys and 15.8 percent of girls reporting that they smoke cigarettes.

The report showed that the most common way for high-schoolers to get cigarettes was to have someone else buy them or bumming them off of other smokers.

The survey also indicated that the proportion of students who have been exposed to secondhand smoke in a room or car with a smoker has declined significantly from 72 percent in 2001 to 54.2 percent in 2009.

Reference: Survey Shows Decline In Teen Smoking Rates Some Other Forms Of Tobacco Gaining In Popularity, WMUR-9, 4/6/2010.

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uly 1, 2007 - as of 7/1/2007 Smokers in five states will take a hit to their wallets as the tax increase..;