Turning the tide: tobacco and the 21st century

Despite efforts by groups as diverse as the federal and state governments, public health agencies, and various advocacy groups, tobacco use continued to increase among youth during the latter part of the 1990s. This article reviews the history of tobacco control in the latter part of the 20th century with special emphasis on policy development aimed at controlling use by children and adolescents. New trends in prevention and cessation are reviewed along with a discussion of tobacco control policies that will extend into this new century.