Teen Cigarette Use & Perceptions of Risk
Preventing adolescents from starting to smoke may be the most effective way to reduce the health and economic burden of tobacco-related illness in the future. New SAMHSA data examine teen cigarette use and perceptions of risk from smoking by state.
According to State Estimates of Adolescent Cigarette Use and Perceptions of Risk from Smoking, combined 2007 and 2008 data indicate that the rates of past-month cigarette use among adolescents age 12 to 17 ranged from a low of 5.77 percent in Utah to a high of 14.47 percent in Kentucky.
Of the 10 states with the highest rates of past-month cigarette use, 5 were in the midwest (Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin), 4 were in the south (Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia), and 1 was in the west (Wyoming).
Of the 10 states and jurisdictions with the lowest rates of past-month cigarette use, 3 were in the northeast (Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York), 4 were in the west (California, Hawaii, Idaho, and Utah), and 3 were in the south (Maryland, Texas, and the District of Columbia).
Combined 2007 and 2008 data indicate that about 7 in 10 (69.26 percent) adolescents perceived great risk of harm from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day. Rates of perceptions of great risk ranged from a low of 63.30 percent in Alabama to a high of 77.00 percent in Utah.
Of the 10 states with the highest rates of perceived great risk, 5 were in the Northeast (Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont), 4 were in the West (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, and Utah), and 1 was in the South (Delaware).
Of the 10 states with the lowest rates of perceived great risk, 6 were in the south (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee), 3 were in the midwest (Kansas, Michigan, and Wisconsin), and 1 was in the northeast (New Hampshire).
Comparisons of combined 2002 and 2003 data with combined 2007 and 2008 data showed that 35 states experienced a statistically significant reduction in the rate of adolescent past-month cigarette use, and 35 states and the District of Columbia had an increase in the percentage of adolescents perceiving great risk from smoking.
Twenty-seven states experienced both of these trends, and there were no states with a statistically significant increase in adolescent smoking or decrease in perceived risk.
Download State Estimates of Adolescent Cigarette Use and Perceptions of Risk from Smoking.