NMDA Journal Spring 2016

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Children and tobacco use:
• 3,000 children and teens become
regular users each day (including chewing
tobacco).
• Nearly one-quarter of all high school
students’ smoke.
• Some tobacco companies target children
with cherry-flavored chewing tobacco sold
in colorful containers.
• Children exposed to tobacco smoke
may have delays in the formation of their
permanent teeth.
• Women who smoke may be more likely
to have children born with an oral cleft
(cleft lip or cleft palate). 2
New products such as e-cigarettes are popular with teens and
adults, the health effects are still being examined.
Three winners will be selected by the partnership. The
winners will be introduced at the annual New Mexico Health
to Toe School Conference and the videos will be shown.
For additional information for the conference please go to:
The winning videos will be aired by KOAT TV so that our
adolescent population will learn that other adolescents
support those who do not wish to begin smoking or using
other products.
#ShareFive health promotion campaign supports the depart-
ments overall efforts for a healthier New Mexico young adult
population.
1. Tobacco use and oral health, Delta Dental, tobaccodw.htm.
2. Ibid.
Rudy Blea can be reached at .
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