Cigarette promotional items in public schools

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• Cigarette promotional items (CPIs) are frequently owned by adolescents.
• The visibility and ownership of CPIs in schools are significant concerns.
• Understanding the association between CPI ownership and smoking behavior is crucial for prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of CPI ownership among students in rural northern New England.
• To investigate the relationship between owning CPIs and adolescent smoking behaviors.
• To inform policy decisions regarding tobacco promotion and youth smoking prevention.

Main Methods:

• A voluntary, self-administered survey was conducted among 1265 students in grades 6-12.
• The study included students from 5 rural public schools in New Hampshire and Vermont.
• Regression models were used to analyze the association between CPI ownership and smoking behavior, with sensitivity analyses performed.

Main Results:

• One-third of students reported owning CPIs, with ownership higher among poorer academic performers and those with smoking family/friends.
• CPIs included clothing, smoking paraphernalia, and accessories, often bearing major tobacco brand logos (Marlboro, Camel).
• Students owning CPIs were 4.1 times more likely to be smokers and showed increased smoking uptake, particularly in younger grades.

Conclusions:

• CPI ownership is prevalent among rural adolescents and strongly associated with smoking initiation and maintenance.
• CPIs are highly visible within school settings, indicating potential marketing reach.
• The findings support the inclusion of a ban on CPIs in US Food and Drug Administration regulations to curb youth tobacco use.