Translational Medical Research Commons^™

Cigarette Sources For Teens By Grade: Implications For Prevention And Intervention, Netra M. Thakur, Michael P. Rosenthal, Priscilla Latta, Jamie L. Robinson, James Diamond

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Objective: To identify at-risk teen populations and their sources of cigarettes, in order to help target future efforts in prevention of teen smoking. Methods: Analysis of smoking behavior questions for students in grades 6, 7, 9 and 12 from the 1997 Pennsylvania Biennial Youth Risk Survey. Results: Current smoking prevalence was 20.9% overall. The number of ninth grade smokers was almost five times higher than the number of sixth grade smokers (30.6% vs. 6.6%). Seventy-three percent of the teens identified friends as a source of tobacco. Stores became the most common source for twelfth graders only. Conclusion: Teenage smoking remains …