Tobacco Use, Access, and Exposure to Tobacco in Media Among Middle and High School Students—United States, 2004

April 1, 2005 / Vol. 54 / No. 12

MMWR Highlights

High School

• From 2002 to 2004, among high school students, there was no significant decline in the use of tobacco products overall (28.2%) or for any individual tobacco product.
• In 2004, cigarettes (21.7%) were the most commonly used product, followed by cigars (12.9%), smokeless tobacco (5.5%), pipes (3.2%), bidis (2.7%), and kreteks (2.5%).
• Among non–Hispanic blacks from 2002 to 2004, decreases were observed in the use of any tobacco product (from 21.7% to 16.8%) and pipes (from 3.7% to 1.7%).
• Among Hispanics from 2002 to 2004, cigar use increased from 10.8 percent to 13.5%, and bidi use increased from 3.5% to 4.8%.
• From 2002 to 2004, a significant overall decline was observed among high school students who reported seeing actors using tobacco on television or in movies (from 91.3% to 86.6%).
• During 2002–2004, a significant increase was observed in seeing tobacco products on the Internet (from 33.5% to 38.6%).
• Among current smokers aged <18 years in high school, 63.4% were not asked to show proof of age when they purchased or attempted to purchase cigarettes from a store, and 61.2% were not refused purchase of cigarettes because of their age. No significant differences were observed from 2002.

Middle School

• In 2004, 11.8% of middle school students used any tobacco product. Cigarettes (8.4%) were the most commonly used, followed by cigars (5.3%), smokeless tobacco (2.8%), bidis (2.4 percent), and kreteks (1.6%). There was no significant difference in use of any of these products from 2002.
• Among middle school students, pipe use declined significantly from 3.5% in 2002 to 2.7% in 2004.
• From 2002 to 2004, declines among males were observed in the use of cigarettes (from 9.8% to 7.9%), pipes (from 5.1% to 3.5%), and kreteks (from 2.7% to 2.0%).
• From 2002 to 2004, declines among Asians were observed in the use of cigarettes (from 7.4% to 2.7%), cigars (from 5.0% to 1.2%), and pipes (from 4.6% to 1.5%).
• Among non–Hispanic blacks, use of pipes decreased from 3.9% in 2002 to 2.2% in 2004.
• Among Hispanics from 2002 to 2004, significant increases were observed in the use of cigars (from 6.3% to 8.2%) and bidis (from 2.9% to 4.3%).
• From 2002 to 2004, decreases were observed in seeing actors use tobacco on television or in movies (from 89.9% to 77.8%), and seeing advertisements for tobacco products on the Internet (from 42.7% to 34.1%).
• In 2004, 69.9% of current cigarette smokers in middle school were not asked to show proof of age when they purchased or attempted to purchase cigarettes from a store, and 68.5% were not refused purchase of cigarettes because of their age. No significant differences were observed from 2002.