Background
Recent declines in current cigarette smoking among youth are encouraging, but less
is known about the trends in the number of cigarettes smoked per day among youth.
Purpose
This study examined trends in the number of cigarettes smoked per day among U.S. high
school students during 1991–2009.
Methods
Nationally representative data from the 1991–2009 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
(YRBS) were analyzed in 2010. The YRBS is a biennial, school-based survey representative
of 9th- through 12th-grade students in the U.S. Each survey year, students completed
anonymous, self-administered questionnaires that included identically worded questions
about cigarette use. The number of cigarettes smoked per day on smoking days was categorized
as light smoking (<1–5 cigarettes per day); moderate smoking (6–10 cigarettes per
day); and heavy smoking (≥11 cigarettes per day). Sample sizes ranged from 10,904
to 16,410. Overall response rates ranged from 60% to 71%.
Results
During 1991–2009, among current cigarette users overall, light smoking increased from
67.2% to 79.4% and heavy smoking decreased from 18.0% to 7.8%. These trends were found
among female and male students overall and white students. Among Hispanic students,
light smoking remained stable, but heavy smoking significantly increased from 3.1%
in 1991 to 6.4% in 2009. The prevalence of light, moderate, and heavy smoking did
not change during 1991–2009 among black students.
Conclusions
The finding that during 1991–2009 light smoking increased and heavy smoking decreased
among current cigarette users is encouraging; however, even light smoking is detrimental
to health and efforts to reduce all cigarette use should continue.
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Published by Elsevier Inc.
