[Tobacco and adolescents: influence of the personal environment]

The initiation of the smoking habit is related both with personal and environmental characteristics. Several authors have described the association of the smoking habit of parents, older siblings, and friends with the use of tobacco by teens.

This study is based on a cross-sectional survey to 6th and 7th grade students in Barcelona (Spain).

This study confirms there is a growing proportion of smokers among teens when their parents, siblings and friend smoke. Children whose parents have quit smoking behave as the sons of parents who have never smoked, and smoke much less than the children of current smokers. When parents do not smoke, having siblings and friends who smoke increases the frequency of smoking from 0.2 to 3.4%, a 17-fold increase.

Current smoking and future smoking intention are related with the number of smokers in the teen environment. These results support preventive programs in schools that include activities to resist external pressures to smoke. It also suggests that helping young adult smokers quit contributes not only to their own health, but also prevents the initiation of smoking among teens in their environment.