Tobacco cessation and youth: The feasibility of brief office interventions for adolescents

Background. The prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents remains high and the great majority of adult smokers begin smoking prior to the age of 18. While there have been a number of primary prevention projects in communities and schools, less attention has been given to smoking cessation for adolescents. This paper reviews the literature on the theory and practice of cessation as applicable to adolescents. Methods. The relevant literature was culled from a MEDLINE search and supplemented with secondary searches from those articles. Results There have been few studies on brief interventions for adolescent smoking cessation in health care settings. However, there are several models for smoking cessation that are either applicable to or designed for adolescents. Pharmacologic treatments are also beginning to be used. Conclusions. There is a great need for the development and evaluation of models for adolescent smoking cessation in health care settings. Recent developments, however, give cause for optimism in helping adolescent smokers in tobacco cessation.