Youth Prevention

Research

Effect of smoking scenes in films on immediate smoking: A randomized controlled study
A new study has found that viewing smoking scenes in movies can push young adult smokers to light up. One hundred cigarette smokers aged 18-25 were randomly assigned to watch a movie montage either with or without smoking scenes. The viewing was followed by a ten-minute recess, during which the outcome of smoking or not smoking was assessed. Those that watched the smoking scenes were three times more likely to smoke during the break, and smokers who had seen more smoking scenes in movies prior to the day of the experiment were almost seven times more likely to smoke during the break. Higher nicotine dependence, being in the early stages of considering quitting smoking, and impulsivity were also associated with smoking during the recess. Click here to read the study abstract in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Sociodemographic risk indicators of hookah smoking among White Americans: A pilot study
Researchers in Michigan surveyed 245 adults living in southeast Michigan to assess how socioeconomic status and other demographic factors related to hookah smoking behavior among white Americans. They found that the prevalence of hookah smoking was 19%, and being younger than 22 and living with a family member who smokes tobacco were significantly associated with hookah smoking. Nineteen percent of respondents believed that hookah smoking was less harmful than cigarette smoking. The researchers note that more studies with larger samples are needed to better understand hookah use and reduce the health threat from this growing trend. Read the abstract of the study, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

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Reports

Zwinky®.com teams up with the truth® campaign to battle teenage smoking
Zwinky®.com, a large virtual community website, has announced that it will collaborate with the anti-tobacco campaign truth® to prevent youth aged 12-17 from starting smoking. truth®-branded arcade games that highlight facts about the health effects of tobacco use and addiction will be placed in the virtual world, and will be accessible for all members. Fliers and promotional units throughout the website will direct users to the anti-smoking games. Click here to learn more about the campaign, or go to the Zwinky® website.

Trends in youth tobacco use in Massachusetts, 1993-2009 (MA)
The Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Elementary and Secondary Education (DPH and ESE) have released a report detailing the use of tobacco products among adolescents from 1993 to 2009. Data from the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the Massachusetts Youth Health Survey were analyzed to determine trends in tobacco use by middle and high school students. The report shows that cigarette smoking has declined among the state’s adolescents, from a high of 35.7% in 1995 to the current low of 16.0%. The data also show that high school students are currently using tobacco products such as cigars and smokeless tobacco at a higher rate than cigarettes (17.6% and 16.0%, respectively). The report also analyzes the data by educational level, gender, and race/ethnicity; identifies risk factors for smoking among high school students; and discusses drug use among smokers. Click here to read a brief of the report.

Study shows reduction in tobacco use by N.H. students (NH)
Data from the statewide Youth Tobacco Survey indicate that fewer New Hampshire youth are smoking cigarettes, but there has been a rise in the use of other tobacco products. The survey is administered every two years to students in grades 6-12, and measures the students’ use, access, and exposure to various tobacco products. The 2009 survey shows that 16% of high school students smoke cigarettes, down from 25.3% in 2001. While males and females were equally likely to smoke cigarettes, males were more likely to use other products like cigars or chewing tobacco. The proportion of high school students exposed to secondhand smoke also declined from 72% in 2001 to 54.2% in 2009. Read more here, or click here to see the complete survey results.

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International

Cigarette sponsor pulled from Kelly Clarkson show (Indonesia)
In April, anti-smoking advocates prompted Grammy-winning pop singer Kelly Clarkson to drop popular Indonesian cigarette brand L.A. Lights as the sponsor of the Indonesian leg of her tour. Health advocates believed that the tobacco sponsorship would increase the appeal of cigarettes to young people by implying an endorsement of smoking by Clarkson. Clarkson has claimed that she was unaware of the sponsorship, and does not smoke or advocate tobacco use, but that she was unwilling to upset her fans by canceling her show. The show’s promotion company was able to strike a deal with the sponsoring tobacco company, Djarum, to pull the sponsorship without canceling the show. There are no restrictions on tobacco advertising in Indonesia, and leaders have just begun to take steps to curb tobacco use. Tobacco use has increased in the country by 26% since 1995, with one-third of the overall population and 63% of all men being smokers. Click here to read the full story.

Associations between schools’ tobacco restrictions and adolescents’ use of tobacco (Norway)
A Norwegian research team has found that there is a negative association between school tobacco-free policies and students’ tobacco use. This study of 1,444 Norwegian students aged 16-20 assessed school restrictions on snus and cigarettes and the use of these products. The analysis showed that more explicit restrictions on tobacco use were associated with a lower prevalence of tobacco use among students. These results support prior research on school smoking restrictions, but this is the first study to show that such restrictions are an important tool in reducing snus use among adolescents. Read the abstract of the study, published in Health Education Research.

Predicting the life-time benefit of school-based smoking prevention programs (UK)
A new study using data from the General Household Survey of Great Britain suggests that the age of initiation of smoking is strongly associated with the probability of quitting later in life. Taking sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status, education, and location into account, the researchers found that those who start smoking later in life are more likely to quit. These findings indicate that delaying smoking initiation without reducing prevalence may reduce adult smoking prevalence and all-cause mortality. Therefore, school-based anti-smoking programs that delay onset of smoking could be beneficial, even if they do not decrease smoking prevalence among adults. Click here to read the abstract of the study, published in the journal Addiction.

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