Youth Attitudes Toward Smoking
Date Posted: 02/05/2008
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The Colorado Healthy Kids Survey on Tobacco (CHKS-T) was conducted in the fall of 2001 and 2006. A stratified random sample of Colorado schools was taken, with two classrooms per grade chosen from each school. Students were given the opportunity to participate or decline the CHKS-T. The Tobacco Program Evaluation Group (TPEG), University of Colorado Denver & Health Sciences Center prepared the report. TPEG received a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP). In 2001, a total of 16,157 students in 130 schools completed the survey, and 18,064 students from 137 schools completed it in 2006. The survey will be completed again in 2008 and every two years thereafter. For more information on the CHKS-T dataset details, click here.
What this chart shows: Adolescent Smoking Status, 2001 & 2006
Data Sources: Adolescent tobacco use and exposure, Colorado 2001 & 2006
What these data tell us:
The number of middle and high school smokers has decreased from 2001 to 2006. Ever-smokers in both middle and high school showed a larger decrease than current smokers. According to the report, there was also a large national decrease in current high school smoking between 2001 (28.5%) and 2003 (21.9%). Between 2001 and 2006, ever-smoking declined among grades 6th through 12th, while current smoking decreased among 8th, 9th, 11th, and 12th graders.According to the Adult Tobacco Use and Exposure, Colorado 2001 and 2005 report, cigarette smoking is known to cause bladder cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, oral cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, and a variety of other diseases.
What this chart shows: Quit Attempts Among High School Students, 2001 & 2006
Data Source: Adolescent tobacco use and exposure, Colorado 2001 & 2006
What these data tell us:
Quit attempts among high school students increased between 2001 and 2006. In 2006, female students attempted to quit more often than male students. According to the report, quit attempts in 2006 were similar across most levels of smoking: current smokers, experimenters, established, current established, and frequent smokers. Quit attempts were more common, however, in smokers who reported smoking 10 or fewer cigarettes per day.Although more high school students attempted to quit smoking in 2006, there was a decline in the use of help programs and medications. According to the report, less than one in ten high school quit attempters (8.9%, down from 13.6% in 2001) used any form of assistance such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), prescription medication, or a support program.
What this chart shows: Current High School Smokers by Ethnicity, 2001 & 2006
Data Sources: Adolescent tobacco use and exposure, Colorado 2001 & 2006
What these data tell us:
Current smoking among white, Latino, Asian American, and American Indian high school students decreased between 2001 and 2006. The number of black high school students who currently smoke increased between 2001 and 2006.According to the report, nationally in 2006, whites composed 26% of current high school smokers, Latinos 22%, and black students 13%. The rates of these ethnic groups appear to be lower in Colorado than nationally. Current smoking rates among middle school ethnic groups appeared to remain stable from 2001 to 2006.
Additional Information:
On Compass -
- Community Attitudes Toward Smoking
- Adult Tobacco Use
- Lung Cancer Incidence and Mortality
- Youth Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
- 2004 Community Health Survey-Health District of Northern Larimer County
Outside Compass -
- Neuroscience of Psychoactive Substance Use and Dependence [pdf] (World Health Organization 2004) - the World Health Organization provides a comprehensive overview of the biological factors related to substance use and dependence. The report also addresses the social and environmental factors which influence substance use and dependence, the neuroscience aspects of interventions and, in particular, the ethical implications of new biological intervention strategies.
- Tobacco Free Larimer County
- Health District of Northern Larimer County Smoking Cessation Services
- State and National Tobacco Links on Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Website
- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion-Tobacco Information and Prevention Source
- Healthy People 2010 Objectives
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Colorado |
||
|
2001 |
2006 |
|
|
Middle school student smoking, ever-smokers |
25.7% |
16.7% |
|
Middle school student smoking, current smokers |
3.4% |
2.6% |
|
High school student smoking, ever-smokers |
54.2% |
43.2% |
|
High school student smoking, current smokers |
18.2% |
14.6% |
Quit Attempts Among High School Students, 2001 & 2006
|
Colorado |
||
|
2001 |
2006 |
|
|
All |
55.0% |
63.2% |
|
Females |
58.3% |
67.7% |
|
Males |
52.1% |
58.7% |
Current High School Smokers by Ethnicity, 2001 & 2006
|
Colorado |
||
|
2001 |
2006 |
|
|
White |
18.9% |
15.4% |
|
Latino |
15.5% |
12.8% |
|
Black |
6.6% |
9.3% |
|
Asian American |
15.8% |
10.8% |
|
American Indian |
33.2% |
26.0% |