Youth Prevention

Research

Playing sports may help keep kids from smoking
New research shows that middle school children who play sports are less likely to begin smoking compared to children who do not play sports. Researchers surveyed children in grades 6-8 to find out about their extracurricular activities and smoking behaviors. The results show that students who play sports are less likely to smoke than their peers who do not participate in organized sports activities, yet students with teammates who smoke are more likely to smoke. This suggests that children’s peers influence their smoking habits through participation or nonparticipation in athletic teams. Researchers believe the study can be used to improve smoke-free programs that target children by incorporating peer-led interactive programs. Click here to read more, and click here to read the study abstract published in Child Development.

Cigar use misreporting among youth: Data from the 2009 Youth Tobacco Survey (VA)
New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that statewide survey results may underestimate the prevalence of youth cigar use. Data from the 2009 Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey were analyzed to determine the rate at which middle school and high school students misreported cigar use. The results show that more than half of youth who stated that they had used Black & Mild cigars did not report cigar use when they were asked more generally about their history of smoking cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars. The authors believe the results show that a more comprehensive measure of cigar use would be critical in more accurately measuring cigar use in the youth population. Click here to see the study published in Preventing Chronic Disease.

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Reports

Utah children are experimenting with e-cigarettes (UT)
According to recently collected data from the Utah Department of Health, almost 8% of twelfth graders in Utah have tried e-cigarettes. Limited research has been conducted on e-cigarettes, so the long-term health effects are unknown. E-cigarette companies have made claims that e-cigarette use is safer than cigarette smoking, but a spokesman from the Utah Department of Health stresses that there is no save level of tobacco smoke, and that nicotine yields from e-cigarettes can be uncertain. Data illustrating youths’ interest in e-cigarettes may be a helpful tool to argue in favor of including e-cigarettes in new smoke-free laws or countering attempts to exempt them from existing smoke-free laws. Click here to read more.

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