Early adolescents' perceptions of cigarette smoking: a cross-sectional survey in a junior high school

Most adult cigarette smokers start smoking during adolescence. Since youths' perceptions of cigarette smoking may influence their decision to smoke, it is important to understand early adolescents' feelings about, and information sources regarding, smoking. In the present study, a cross-sectional survey, conducted in an urban junior high school, asked students in grades six to eight about their attitudes toward cigarette advertising, their perception of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking, and their sources of information. One hundred students completed the questionnaire, 12 of whom were current or former smokers. Approximately 27% believed cigarette advertising significantly influenced their classmates or themselves. Ninety percent recognized that cigarette smoking was seriously harmful. The source of this information was mainly teachers and parents. While 53% of the students identified their parents as the ones who taught them not to smoke, 47.8% of these parents were smokers themselves. Only 2% of the students indicated that they received information about the effects of smoking from health providers.