Youth Tobacco Surveillance—United States, 2001–2002

May 19, 2006 / Vol. 55 / No. SS03

MMWR Highlights

• Findings from the 2002 NYTS indicate that current use of any tobacco product ranged from 13.3% among middle school students to 28.2% among high school students.
• Cigarette smoking was the most prevalent form of tobacco use, with 9.8% of middle school students and 22.5% of high school students reporting that they currently smoke cigarettes.
• Cigar smoking was the second most prevalent form of tobacco use, with 6.0% of middle school students and 11.6% of high school students reporting that they currently smoke cigars.
• Among current cigarette smokers, 41.8% of middle school students and 52.0% of high school students reported that they usually smoke Marlboro^® cigarettes.
• Black middle school and high school students who smoke were more likely to smoke Newport^® cigarettes than any other brand (58.3% and 66.8%, respectively).
• Among middle school students aged <18 years, 75.9% were not asked to show proof of age when they bought or tried to buy cigarettes, and 63.4% were not refused purchase because of their age.
• Among high school students aged <18 years, 58.5% were not asked to show proof of age when they bought or tried to buy cigarettes, and 60.6% were not refused purchase because of their age.
• Nearly half (49.6%) of middle school students and 62.1% of high school students who smoke reported a desire to stop smoking cigarettes, with 55.4% of middle school students and 53.1% of high school students reported having made at least one cessation attempt during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Among students who have never smoked cigarettes, 21.3% of middle school students and 22.9% of high school students were susceptible to initiating cigarette smoking in the next year.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke (i.e., environmental tobacco smoke) was high.
• During the week before the survey
  • 88.3% of middle school students and 91.4% of high school students who currently smoke cigarettes and 47.1% of middle school students and 53.3% of high school students who have never smoked cigarettes were in the same room with someone who was smoking cigarettes
  • 81.7% of middle school students and 83.7% of high school students who currently smoke cigarettes and 31.5% of middle school students and 29.1% of high school students who have never smoked cigarettes rode in a car with someone who was smoking cigarettes
  • 71.5% of middle school students and 57.5% of high school students who currently smoke cigarettes and 33.3% of middle school students and 29.9% of high school students who have never smoked cigarettes lived in a home in which someone else smoked cigarettes.
• Media and advertising influence was also noted, with 58.1% of middle school students and 54.9% of high school students who currently use tobacco and 11.0% of middle school students and 13.7% of high school students who have never used tobacco reporting that they would wear or use an item with a tobacco company name or logo on it.
• Although 84.6% of middle school students and 91.2% of high school students had seen or heard antismoking commercials on television or radio, 89.9% of middle school students and 91.3% of high school students also had seen actors using tobacco on television or in the movies.