Teens who shop in stores that display cigarette advertising are significantly more likely to start smoking, according to a new study to be published in the August print issue of Pediatrics (published online July 19).
Study participants included 1,681 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years who had never smoked. Researchers focused on how often these pre-teens/teens visited convenience, liquor and small grocery stores.
These types of stores near schools were then assessed for the quantity of cigarette ads and pack displays. Researchers found that overall, 18 percent of adolescents in the study started smoking.
But among teens who visited the stores with the greatest amount of cigarette advertising at least twice a week, the rate of smoking initiation was 29 percent. Of teens who visited such stores less than twice per month, only 9 percent began smoking.
The study authors concluded that unless retail promotion of tobacco products is addressed, the declines recently seen in teen smoking are likely to end.
What are you doing to prevent your kids from smoking?
Read more about teens and smoking in Arizona from the Raising Arizona Kids magazine archives here.
