Secondhand smoke exposure among middle and high school students--Texas, 2001

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure causes approximately 3,000 deaths each year in Texas and is associated with increased morbidity caused by acute respiratory infections and asthma among children and respiratory problems among adults. Adult lung cancer risk might be increased as a result of SHS exposure during childhood and adolescence. To assess SHS exposure among middle and high school students in Texas, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) analyzed data from the 2001 Texas Youth Tobacco Survey (TYTS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate that half of 8,687 middle school students and two-thirds of 8,696 high school students reported SHS exposure within the 7 days preceding the survey. The prevalence of SHS exposure was higher among students who reported living with a cigarette smoker or having at least one close friend who smokes. Among middle school students, the prevalence of SHS exposure was lower among those who perceived SHS to be harmful to their health. These findings emphasize the need for continuing efforts to decrease SHS exposure among youth and to increase understanding of the harmful health effects of SHS exposure.