Youth Prevention

Research

Flavored-little-cigar and flavored-cigarette use among U.S. middle and high school students
A study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than two in every five youth smokers (42.4%) reported smoking flavored cigarettes or cigars. Data from the 2011 National Youth Tobacco Survey of 19,000 American students in grades 6-12 indicate a smoking prevalence of 6.3% for flavored little cigars and/or flavored cigarettes, with use of these products increasing with each grade. Flavored product use was more prevalent among non-Hispanic whites than in black and Hispanic students. Users of flavored cigars were less likely to report having intentions to quit than non-flavored cigar users. The findings indicate the potential for great impact from policies that further restrict the production and/or sale of these flavored tobacco products, which are understood to be more appealing to youth because they mask the taste and harshness of smoking. To learn more, click here. Click here to read the study abstract published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. To read the CDC’s press release on this study, click here.

Trends in use of electronic nicotine delivery systems by adolescents
An article in the journal Addictive Behaviors discusses a study in which students of two large suburban high schools in Connecticut and New York reported cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use behaviors over time. In the 16-month period from February 2010 to June 2011, the prevalence of ENDS usage in the previous 30 days more than doubled from 0.9% to 2.3%. Cigarette use was the variable most strongly associated with ENDS use. Study authors call for further research on the health effects of ENDS, the age at which ENDS use begins, and the nature of dual use of ENDS and regular cigarettes. To read the study abstract in Addictive Behaviors, click here.

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International

Worldwide never-smoking youth susceptibility to smoking
A research team from Vanderbilt University and East Tennessee State University looked through Global Youth Tobacco Survey cross-sectional data from 168 countries to see which factors were associated with susceptibility to smoking initiation among never-smoking youths worldwide. The study found that about 1 in 8 never-smoking youths, a majority of whom were males, were susceptible to smoking. Parental or peer smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, and exposure to tobacco industry promotions were associated with increased smoking susceptibility in both genders, while support for smoke-free policies and school anti-smoking education were associated with decreased susceptibility among girls only. The authors recommend worldwide implementation of comprehensive approaches to smoking prevention that include parental and peer education, smoke-free policies, tobacco advertising and promotions restrictions, and antismoking education in schools. Click here to read the study abstract in Journal of Adolescent Health.

International reach of tobacco marketing among young children
A recent article published in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ journal, Pediatrics, found that across six countries, a majority of five- and six-year-old children were able to identify at least one cigarette brand. Over 2,000 young children in Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Russia were asked to match brand logos with pictures of products to see how many children could identify at least one of eight different cigarette brands. Overall, 68% of the children recognized at least one cigarette brand, ranging from 50% in Russia to 86% in China. Being slightly older and having someone in the household who uses tobacco were both correlated with increased cigarette brand awareness. The findings suggest that low- and middle-income countries need to further regulate tobacco marketing to limit youth exposure to cigarette advertisements. To read the study abstract, click here. For information on how to combat tobacco marketing and branding in various settings, visit the AAP’s Tobacco Prevention Policy Tool here.

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