Research

Annual Monitoring the Future survey: Decline in daily smoking among younger teens has ended
In the annual Monitoring the Future survey, the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that the significant progress the United States has made in reducing youth smoking since the mid-1990s has slowed considerably or stalled.  For the third year in a row, the survey found no statistically significant changes in past-month smoking rates among 8th, 10th or 12th graders, although there is a small, statistically significant decline for all three age groups combined.  The good news is that smoking rates have declined by more than half among 8th and 10th graders and by more than 40 percent among 12th graders since peaking in the mid-1990s.  For more information on tobacco-specific findings of the Monitoring the Future survey, click here.  To view a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, click here.

National survey: U.S. adults support new R-rating for films with tobacco
According to results of a new survey, 81 percent of adults in the U.S. agree that adolescents are more likely to smoke if they watch actors smoking in movies, and 70 percent support a new R-rating for any movies with on-screen tobacco imagery. The survey was a project of the American Medical Association Alliance who has launched a national grassroots parent-to-parent campaign to remove tobacco imagery from future movies, an initiative known as Screen Out. To read more, click here.

Family programs can help keep kids from smoking
A review of research on smoking prevention programs reveals several family-based initiatives shown to help keep children from becoming smokers. The review identified 19 trials that tested the effectiveness of prevention strategies centered on family and parent involvement; 14 were shown to be sufficiently reliable. The review can be found in the current issue of The Cochrane Library. Click here for the press release.

Teenagers’ perceptions of blindness related to smoking- novel message to a vulnerable group
Research reveals that few teens are aware of the risk of blindness from smoking. A cross sectional survey of 260 teenagers revealed that only 5% believed that smoking causes blindness. Moreover, subjects were more fearful of blindness than lung cancer, heart disease, or deafness. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, suggests a possible public health message to keep teenagers from smoking. Click here for the study abstract.

Characteristics of social smoking among college students Investigators examined differences in social smoking and other smoking within a convenience sample of college smokers. No differences were found in motivation to quit smoking. However, differences were found between groups with regard to confidence to quit, the number of days smoked, and the number of cigarettes smoked on those days. Also, logistic regression analysis revealed predictors of social smoking. To read the article published in the American Journal of College Health, click here.

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Resources

Helping Young Smokers Quit offers a new literature database on its Web site
A new database highlighting research on smoking cessation among youth aged 14 to 18 years is now available on the Helping Young Smokers Quit web site. The database contains over 200 peer-reviewed articles. Helping Young Smokers Quit is a national program supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute. Click here for the Helping Young Smokers Quit web site.

Increased dose of truth youth smoking prevention campaign coming to a town near you
The American Legacy Foundation announced that it will deliver its successful truth youth smoking prevention message to more youth across the country over the next three years. The foundation will increase its advertising in 45 cities in 18 states, with outreach focusing on surrounding smaller communities that are less exposed to truth because of low cable television penetration. The effort is funded though a $3.6 million matching grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Click here for the American Legacy Foundation press release.

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State

New York

New York County increases age for cigarette purchase
Onondaga County legislators voted to raise the minimum age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 19.  Onondaga is the third county in state to require people to be 19 to buy tobacco products. To read more, click here.

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International

Greece

Tobacco use among students aged 13-15 years in Greece: The GYTS project
The results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey in Greece show alarmingly high rates of smoking in middle-school children. About one third of students reported they had tried tobacco, while 16.2% reported being current users of tobacco products. Additionally, 1 in 4 smokers reported that they began smoking before the age of 10. The report also reveals extremely high numbers of youth exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and able to purchase cigarettes for themselves without restrictions. Click here to read the abstract from BMC Public Health.

United Kingdom

United Kingdom smoking age limit to rise to 18
Starting October 2007, it will become illegal for 16 and 17-year-olds to buy cigarettes in the UK.  Click here to read more.

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