| Tobacco Use Risk Behaviors |
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Cigarette Use |
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Other Tobacco-Related |
Tobacco Use |
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| Rationale: These questions measure lifetime and current smoking patterns, age of initiation, access to cigarettes, smoking on school property, and attempts to quit smoking. Tobacco use is considered the chief preventable cause of death in the United States with approximately one fifth of all deaths attributable to tobacco use. Cigarette smoking is responsible for heart disease; cancers of the lung, larynx, mouth, esophagus, and bladder; stroke; and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, cigarette smokers are more likely to drink alcohol and use marijuana and cocaine as compared to nonsmokers. If current patterns of smoking behavior persist, an estimated 5 million United States persons who were under the age of 18 in 1995 could die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses. In 2001, despite laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors in all states and the District of Columbia, 19.1% of high school students who were less than 18 years of age and who were current smokers reported that they usually bought cigarettes in a store or gas station in the past 30 days, and of those, 67.2% were not asked to show proof of age when buying cigarettes. Approximately 46% of school districts in the United States prohibit tobacco use in buildings, on all school property, in school vehicles, and during school events on or off campus. In 2001, 9.9% of high school students reported smoking cigarettes in the past month on school property. The percentage of high school students who ever smoked cigarettes was steady from 1991-1999 and then decreased from 1999-2001. Current cigarette use among high school students increased from 1991 (27.5%) to 1997 (36.4%) and then decreased by 2001 (28.5%). |
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| Overall, 19% of middle school students reported current cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey). | Overall, 77% of high school students reported current cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey). |
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| Overall, 2% of middle school students reported current frequent cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on 20 or more of the 30 days preceding the survey). | Overall, 8% of high school students reported current frequent cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on 20 or more of the 30 days preceding the survey). |
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| Overall, 6% of middle school students reported current frequent cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on 30 or more of the 30 days preceding the survey). | Overall, 17% of high school
students reported current frequent cigarette use (smoked cigarettes on 30 or more of the
30 days preceding the survey). US 2001 data was not available. |
Tobacco Use |
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| Data for 1997 & 2000 were not available | |
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| During the past 30 days preceding
the survey, 8% of the middle school students used smokeless tobacco. Males (10%) were more
likely than females (5%) to report this behavior. |
During the 30 days preceding the
survey, 11% of the high school students used smokeless tobacco. Males (17%) were more
likely than females (5%) to report this behavior. |
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| Overall, 11% of middle school students used cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars during the 30 days preceding the survey. Males (13%) were more likely than females (9%) to report current cigar use. | Overall, 15% of high school students used cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars during the 30 days preceding the survey. Males (23%) were more likely than females (11%) to report current cigar use. |
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| Among current smokers under age 18 years, 3% of middle school students usually obtained their own cigarettes by purchasing them at a store or gas station during the 30 days preceding the survey. | Among current smokers under age 18 years, 9% of high school students usually obtained their own cigarettes by purchasing them at a store or gas station during the 30 days preceding the survey. |
