Statement on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Report on Tobacco and Youth

This week at the White House, I heard directly from a group of children about the easy access and allure of cigarettes.

This report is further evidence that parents need all the help they can get in their daily struggle to keep our kids tobacco-free.

Every day, more than 3,000 young people become regular smokers. Nearly a thousand of them will have their lives shortened because of tobacco-related illnesses. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in this country, contributing to more than 30 percent of all cancer deaths.

Let me be clear: This administration will continue to lead the fight to help parents protect children from the hazards of tobacco addiction.