Smoking report hits DeKalb
The report says 1 in 4 high school seniors smoke. However, DeKalb County health director Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford says the problem in her county begins before high school.
“Right now, we’ve got about 1 in 12 of our high school students that do smoke begin before they’re 13 years old. So, basically you’re talking about 7th graders.”
Dr. Ford says those students aren’t necessary trying cigarettes. But, they are experimenting with chewing tobacco and other tobacco products. That’s why Dr. Ford says it’s time to update the message kids hear.
“I think we’ve done a fairly decent job of explaining the dangers of cigarettes. But, I think that our young folk don’t understand that it’s really tobacco that’s dangerous not just cigarettes.”
Dr. Ford says Picture DeKalb Healthy is the county’s public awareness campaign aimed at keeping teenagers and younger kids away from tobacco.
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