Synopsis for May 25, 2006

The MMWR is embargoed until Thursday, 12 PM EST.

1. Use of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products among Students Aged 13-15 Years - Worldwide, 1999-2005

2. Tobacco Use among Students Aged 13 - 15 Years, Kurdistan Region- Iraq, 2005

3. Multistate Outbreak of Mumps - United States, January 1-May 2, 2006

4. Fusarium Keratitis - United States, 2005-2006

5. Investigation into Recalled Human Tissue for Transplantation -
   United States, 2005-2006

Use of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products among Students Aged 13-15 Years - Worldwide, 1999-2005

Effective, comprehensive tobacco control programs that include evidence-based interventions for adolescents are needed to decrease the burden of tobacco-related diseases worldwide.

The use of tobacco is a major preventable cause of premature death and disease. Globally, nearly 5 million persons die every year from tobacco-related illnesses, with the burden increasingly shifting to developing countries. Findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in over 130 countries during 1999 to 2005 reveal that nearly two in ten students aged 13-15 years reported currently using cigarettes and/or some other form of tobacco with no significant difference between cigarette smoking (8.9 percent) and use of other tobacco products (11.2 percent). The findings also indicate that there was no significant difference in cigarette smoking by gender. Compared to adult data, which indicate that males have higher rates of smoking than females, the similarity of use between boys and girls is a cause for concern.

Tobacco Use among Students Aged 13 - 15 Years, Kurdistan Region - Iraq, 2005

Effective, comprehensive tobacco control programs are needed to address the growing challenges of tobacco use among boys and girls in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 2005, reveal that one in 10 students currently smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products. Boys (21 percent) were significantly more likely than girls (2 percent) to smoke cigarettes, but no significant difference was observed between boys and girls in their use of other tobacco products which primarily involves the use of Shisha (flavored tobacco smoked in hookah pipes).

Approximately 14 percent of never smokers indicated they were susceptible to initiate smoking over the next year, with no significant difference between boys and girls. However, for girls, the proportion of never smokers susceptible to initiate smoking (11 percent) was significantly higher than the current smoking rate (2 percent)

Multistate Outbreak of Mumps - United States, January 1-May 2, 2006

No Summary Available

Fusarium Keratitis - United States, 2005-2006

No Summary Available

Investigation into Recalled Human Tissue for Transplantation - United States, 2005-2006

No Summary Available

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