NCJ Number
210915
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 40 Issue: 8 Dated: 2005 Pages: 1127-1137
Date Published
2005
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study examined quitting plans and motivation to quit among a sample adolescent smokers and examined differences by smoking level.
Abstract
The adolescent smoking rate in the United States remains high. However a question being asked is whether teens who smoke occasionally are likely to perceive a need to quit or to participate in organized smoking cessation programs. This study hypothesized that, compared to regular smokers, occasional smokers and infrequent smokers would be less likely to plan to quit, would have more distal plans to quit, and would be less motivated to quit. Data for the study came from an anonymous survey of smoking behaviors administered to 945 students at 6 Illinois high schools in 2001. Results indicated that interest in quitting was high, with over 80 percent of students planning to quit, regardless of smoking level. Even adolescents who do not smoke daily think about quitting, and have plans to do so. The findings indicate that infrequent and occasional teenage student smokers are motivated to quit and plan to do so soon. These two groups present an excellent target for smoking cessation programs. References