Durham, N.C. - Starting to smoke at a young age may lead to a more powerful addiction to nicotine and a tougher time kicking the habit. Ed Levin, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, says a growing body of research suggests that the earlier people are exposed to nicotine, the more vulnerable they are to the effects of the drug.

"People who start smoking earlier, and actually it carries across to other drugs too, such as drinking alcohol earlier, tend to become more heavily dependent."

Levin says not only are early smokers more likely to continue smoking as adults, they're also less able to quit.

"Those adults who started at an early age - actually 60 percent of people start smoking before the age of 14, believe it or not - have a much more difficult time quitting."

Levin says we don't yet fully understand the link between age and addiction, but parents, educators and health officials should be aware of the special risk faced by young smokers.

"The adolescent brain is still developing, and there may be some long-lasting impact that could saddle the person for the rest of their life."

I'm Cabell Smith for MedMinute.