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Adolescent smoking decline during California's tobacco control programme
J P Pierce1, M M White, E A Gilpin
1Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0645, USA. jppierce@ucsd.edu
Tobacco Control
|June 1, 2005
Summary
California's tobacco control program significantly reduced adolescent smoking, with declines carrying into young adulthood. This reduction in smoking experimentation was specific to California and not observed nationwide.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Tobacco Control
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- California's comprehensive tobacco control program was established over a decade prior to 2002.
- Adolescents who initiated smoking during the program's early years reached young adulthood by 2002.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of California's tobacco control program on adolescent smoking rates.
- To determine if observed declines in adolescent smoking persisted into young adulthood.
- To investigate if these smoking trends were unique to California.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the California Tobacco Surveys (CTS) spanning 1990-2002 for adolescents (12-17) and young adults (18-24).
- Incorporated national Current Population Survey (CPS) data from 1992/93-2001/02 for young adults (18-24).
Main Results:
- Significant declines in 'ever puffing' were observed across adolescent age groups in California.
- Smoking experimentation and established smoking rates showed similar downward trends.
- California young adults exhibited a 14% decline in smoking experimentation, with a notable drop from 1999-2002.
- National data indicated stable young adult smoking prevalence, while California showed an 18% recent decline.
Conclusions:
- California's tobacco control initiatives appear effective in preventing adolescent cigarette experimentation.
- Reduced adolescent experimentation correlated with subsequent lower young adult smoking rates in California.
- The observed decrease in young adult smoking prevalence in California was not mirrored in the rest of the USA.