Final answer:
To reduce teen smoking, governments and agencies should provide information on the harms of tobacco, publish statistics on tobacco use, and limit exposure to tobacco ads. Educational programs have limited effect but combined with laws and taxes they can impact youth smoking rates due to their elastic demand.
Step-by-step explanation:
To reduce the number of teen smokers, government and other agencies can adopt several strategies, excluding providing information about where teens can buy tobacco. Two beneficial approaches include:
- By providing information about the dangers of tobacco, governments can educate teens on the health risks associated with smoking. This includes sharing data on short- and long-term effects, which can dissuade them from starting to smoke.
- By publishing statistics about current tobacco use, agencies can illustrate the prevalence and trends of smoking among peers, which could influence teens' perceptions and behaviors.
- By limiting teens' exposure to advertisements about tobacco products, governments can reduce the glamorization of smoking and decrease the chances that teens will be enticed to try it.
These actions are supported by research that suggests while educational programs alone have limited impact in persuading smokers to quit, a combination of stringent regulations and strategic public campaigns can help shift demand for cigarettes. Notably, anti-smoking advertising campaigns, new laws on cigarette sales, and increased taxes have shown potential in reducing smoking rates, especially among youth whose smoking habits appear more price-sensitive.