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Bangladesh has achieved a high share of tax in the price of cigarettes (greater than the 75% benchmark), but has not achieved the expected health benefits from reduction in cigarette consumption. In this paper we explore why cigarette taxation has not succeeded in reducing cigarette smoking in Bangladesh. Using government records over 2006-2017, we link trends in tax-paid cigarette sales to cigarette excise tax structure and changes in cigarette taxes and prices. We analysed data on smoking prevalence from Bangladesh Global AdultTobacco Surveys to study consumption of different tobacco products in 2009 and 2017. Drawing on annual reports from tobacco manufacturers and other literature, we examine demand- and supply-side factors in the cigarette market. In addition to a growing affordability of cigarettes, three factors appear to have undermined the effectiveness of tax and price increases in reducing cigarette consumption in Bangladesh. First, the multitiered excise tax structure widened the price differential between brands and incentivized downward substitution by smokers from higher-price to lower-price cigarettes. Second, income growth and shifting preferences of smokers for better quality products encouraged upward substitution from hand-rolled local cigarettes (bidi) to machine-made low-price cigarettes. Third, the tobacco industry's market expansion and differential pricing strategy changed the relative price to keep low-price cigarettes inexpensive. A high tax share alone may prove inadequate as a barometer of effective tobacco taxation in lower-middle income countries, particularly where the tobacco tax structure is complex, tobacco products prices are relatively low, and the affordability of tobacco products is increasing. Le Bangladesh applique un fort pourcentage de taxe sur les prix du tabac (au-dela du referent habituel de 75% du prix de detail) sans pour autant avoir atteint le benefice sanitaire attendu de reduction du tabagisme. Cet article se penche sur les raisons pour lesquelles la taxation du tabac n'est pas parvenue a reduire le tabagisme au Bangladesh. En utilisant les donnees gouvernementales couvrant la periode comprise en 2006 et 2017, nous avons relie les tendances de vente des produits du tabac taxes avec la structure des droits d'accise sur le tabac et avec l'evolution des prix et des taxes sur le tabac. Nous avons analyse les donnees relatives a la prevalence du tabagisme a partir des enquetes sur le tabagisme des adultes (GATS) realisees en 2009 et 2017 au Bangladesh afin d'etudier la consommation des differents produits du tabac. A partir des rapports annuels des fabricants de tabac et d'autres ressources, nous avons examine l'evolution du marche du tabac, cote demande et cote offre. Outre le fait que les cigarettes sont devenues plus abordables au fil du temps, trois facteurs semblent avoir sape l'efficacite de l'augmentation des prix et des taxes dans l'objectif de reduction de la consommation Bangladesh ha alcanzado una elevada cuota de impuestos en el precio de los cigarrillos (superior al 75 % de referencia), pero no ha logrado los beneficios para la salud esperados de la reduccion del consumo de cigarrillos. En este articulo exploramos por que los impuestos sobre los cigarrillos no han logrado reducir el consumo de cigarrillos en Bangladesh. Utilizando los registros del gobierno entre 2006 y 2017, vinculamos las tendencias de las ventas de cigarrillos pagados con la estructura de los impuestos al consumo de cigarrillos y los cambios en los impuestos y precios de los cigarrillos. Se analizaron los datos sobre la prevalencia del tabaquismo de la Encuesta Mundial del Tabaco en Adultos de Bangladesh para estudiar el consumo de diferentes productos de tabaco en 2009 y 2017. Basandonos en los informes anuales de los fabricantes de tabaco y otras publicaciones, examinamos los factores de la demanda y la oferta en el mercado de cigarrillos. Ademas de la creciente asequibilidad de los cigarrillos, tres factores parecen haber socavado la eficacia de los aumentos de impuestos y precios en la reduccion del consumo de cigarrillos en Bangladesh. En primer lugar, la estructura del impuesto especial de varios niveles amplio la diferencia de precios entre las marcas e incentivo la sustitucion a la baja por parte de los fumadores, que pasaron de los cigarrillos de precio mas alto a los de precio mas bajo. En segundo lugar, el crecimiento de los ingresos y el cambio de las preferencias de los fumadores por productos de mejor calidad fomentaron la sustitucion de los cigarrillos locales enrollados a mano (bidi) por cigarrillos de bajo precio hechos a maquina. Tercero, la expansion del mercado de la industria tabacalera y la estrategia de precios diferenciales cambiaron el precio relativo para mantener los cigarrillos de bajo precio baratos. Una elevada cuota de impuestos por si sola puede resultar inadecuada como barometro de los impuestos efectivos sobre el tabaco en los paises de ingresos mediosbajos, en particular cuando la estructura de los impuestos sobre el tabaco es compleja, los precios de los productos del tabaco son relativamente bajos y la asequibilidad de los productos del tabaco esta aumentando., [phrase omitted] Introduction Tobacco use is a major driver for the growth of noncommunicable diseases throughout the world. (1,2) Raising the price of tobacco products through taxation is a proven [...]

One of the main enterprises associated with tobacco control is surveillance, that is, to measure and follow over time the extent of smoking among the Canadian population. While surveillance systems have been in place for more than 50 years, knowing the exact prevalence of smoking in Canada continues to be a complex matter and understanding its estimation requires a critical appreciation of our national surveys' idiosyncrasies. This commentary describes the two Statistics Canada surveys that are most commonly used to examine smoking prevalence in this country: the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS). It compares estimates of smoking prevalence obtained from each source and examines potential reasons for their noticeable discrepancies. Canadian researchers interested in smoking prevalence should be aware of current and future limitations, and should discuss and analyze these accordingly. KEY WORDS: Canada; surveys and questionnaires; epidemiology; smoking L'une des principales entreprises associees a la lutte contre le tabagisme est la surveillance, c'est-a-dire la mesure et le suivi de l'ampleur du tabagisme dans la population canadienne. Bien que les systemes de surveillance soient en place depuis plus de cinquante ans, connaitre la prevalence exacte du tabagisme au Canada continue d'etre une question complexe. La comprehension de son estimation necessite ainsi une appreciation critique des particularites de nos enquetes nationales. Ce commentaire decrit les deux enquetes de Statistique Canada les plus couramment utilisees pour examiner la prevalence du tabagisme au Canada : l'Enquete sur la sante dans les collectivites canadiennes (ESCC) et l'Enquete canadienne sur le tabac, l'alcool et les drogues (ECTAD). Il compare les estimations de la prevalence du tabagisme obtenues a partir de chaque source et examine les raisons potentielles de leurs divergences. Les chercheurs canadiens qui s'interessent a la prevalence du tabagisme devraient etre plus conscients des limites actuelles et futures de nos donnees et travailler a les depasser. MOTS CLES : Canada; survols et questionnaires; epidemiologie; tabagisme, Smoking continues to be a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada. As a result of decades of successful public health interventions, Canada enjoyed a large decrease in prevalence [...]

Hookah smoking among adolescents and teens is on the rise in the United States. Specifically, 7.3% of adolescents, 13-17 years of age, surveyed nationally, reported ever trying hookah. Among a [...]

To determine if pregnant women decreasing/ quitting tobacco use will have improved fetal outcomes. Retrospective analysis of pregnant smokers from 6/1/ 2006-12/31/2007 who received prenatal care and delivered at a tertiary medical care center in West Virginia. Variables analyzed included birth certificate data linked to intervention program survey data. Patients were divided into four study groups: < 8 cigarettes/day-no reduction, < 8 cigarettes/day-reduction, [greater than or equal to] 8 cigarettes/day-no reduction, and [greater than or equal to] 8 cigarettes/day-reduction. Analysis performed using ANOVA one-way test for continuous variables and Chi-square for categorical variables. Inclusion criteria met by 250 patients. Twelve women (4.8%) quit smoking; 150 (60%) reduced; 27 (10.8%) increased; and 61 (24.4%) had no change. Comparing the four study groups for pre-term births (< 37 weeks), 25% percent occurred in [greater than or equal to] 8 no reduction group while 10% occurred in [greater than or equal to] 8 with reduction group (P = 0.026). The high rate of preterm birth (25%) in the non-reducing group depended on 2 factors: (1) [greater than or equal to] 8 cigarettes/day at beginning and (2) no reduction by the end of prenatal care. Finally, there was a statistically significant difference in birth weights between the two groups: [greater than or equal to] 8 cigarettes/day with no reduction (2,872.6 g) versus < 8 cigarettes/day with reduction (3,212.4 g) (P = 0.028). Smoking reduction/cessation lowered risk of pre-term delivery (< 37 weeks) twofold. Encouraging patients who smoke [greater than or equal to] 8 cigarettes/day during pregnancy to decrease/quit prior to delivery provides significant clinical benefit by decreasing the likelihood of preterm birth. These findings support tobacco cessation efforts as a means to improve birth outcome. Keywords Pregnancy * Pre-term birth * Smoking * Tobacco, Introduction West Virginia leads the nation in the percentage of women who smoke while pregnant (35.7%) [1]. From 2000-2005, while most of the country experienced declines in smoking rates among [...]

The article discusses the results of the analysis of data from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to assess progress toward the Healthy People 2010 objective of reducing the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults in the United States. Adults in the US did not show a significant reduction in smoking, highlighting the need for intensification of evidence-based programs known to be effective targeting groups with lower education.

Objective To identify the demographic characteristics of current tobacco users in Cambodia, particularly women, and to explore the reasons for current tobacco use in demographic subgroups of the Cambodian population. Methods We used a stratified three-stage cluster sample of 13 988 adults aged 18 years and older from all provinces in 2005-2006. Participants completed an interviewer-administered survey that contained items on all forms of tobacco use and on health and lifestyle variables. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify demographic predictors of tobacco use. Findings Cigarette smoking occurred among 48.0% of men and 3.6% of women. We estimated that 560 482 women (95% confidence interval, CI: 504 783 to 616 180) currently chewed tobacco (typically as a component of betel quid) and that the prevalence more than doubles with each decade of adulthood up to the point that about half of all older women chew tobacco. Both men and women cited the influence of older relatives as their primary reason for starting to use tobacco. About one out of five rural women who used chewing tobacco started their habit for relief from morning sickness. The highest prevalence of chewing tobacco among women was seen among midwives (67.9%) and traditional healers (47.2%). High rates (66.8%) of cigarette and pipe tobacco use occurred among ethnic minorities who represent hill tribes found throughout south-east Asia. Conclusion The tobacco epidemic in Cambodia extends far beyond cigarette smoking in men. Tobacco control that focuses only on cigarettes will not address the health burden from smokeless tobacco use in women that may be an integral part of cultural, familial, and traditional medicine practices. Objectif Identifier les caracteristiques demographiques des consommateurs actueis de tabac au Cambodge, notamment des femmes, puis etudier Ies raisons du tabagisme actuei parmi des sous-groupes demographiques de la population cambodgienne. Methodes Nous avons reuni par sondage stratifie a trois degres un echantillon de 13 988 adultes de 18 ans et pius, provenant de L&apos;ensemble des provinces cambodgiennes, sur la periode 20052006. Les participants ont repondu a une enquete administree par un enqueteur, comprenant des volets sur toutes les formes de tabagisme et sur des variables d&apos;ordre sanitaire ou relevant riu mode de vie. Une analyse par regression multivariee a ete realisee pour identifier les facteurs de prediction demographiques du tabagisme. Resultats La proportion de fumeurs de cigarettes etait de 48,0 % chez les hommes et de 3,6 % chez ies femmes. Nous avons estime que 560 482 femmes (intervaile de confiance a 95 %, IC : 504 783-616 180) machaient actuellement riu tabac (habituellement comme composant d&apos;une chique de betel) et que la prevalence de cette forme de tabagisme faisait pius que doubler avec chaque decennie vecue a l&apos;age adulte jusqu&apos;a atteindre un stade ou pres de la moitie des femmes pius agees chiquent. Les femmes, comine ies hommes, ont cite l&apos;influence de membre de la famille pius ages comine raison principale de leur entree dans le tabagisme. Parmi les consommatrices rurales de tabac a macher, une sur cinq avait pris cette habitude pour soulager les nausees matinales de la grossesse. C&apos;est parmi les accoucheuses (67,9 %) et ies guerisseuses traditionnelles (47,2 %) qu&apos;on a releve la pius forte prevalence de la consommation de tabac a macher. La proportion de fumeurs de cigarettes ou de pipe (66,8 %) etait tres elevee parmi les minorites ethniques constituees par les tribus des collines, presentes dans toute l&apos;Asie du Sud-est. Conclusion L&apos;epidemie de tabagisme qui touche le Cambodge va au-dela de la consommation de cigarettes par les hommes. Les efforts de lutte contre le tabagisme axes uniquement sur les cigarettes negligeront la charge sanitaire due a la consommation de tabac non fume chez les femmes, habitude qui pourrait faire partie des pratiques culturelles, familiales et heritees de la medecine traditionnelle. Objetivo Determinar las caracteristicas demograficas de los actuales consumidores de tabaco en Camboya, en particular de las mujeres, y analizar las razones dei consumo de tabaco en la actualidad en subgrupos demograficos de la poblacion camboyana. Metodos Utilizamos una muestra estratificada por conglomerados en tres etapas de 13 988 adultos de 18 o mas anos de todas las provincias que abarco el periodo 2005-2006. Los participantes respondieron a una encuesta que se les administro en la que figuraban items sobre todas las modalidades de consumo de tabaco y sobre variables relacionadas con la salud y el modo de vida. Se realizo un analisis de regresion muitivariable para identificar los factores demograficos predictivos del consumo de tabaco. Resultados Fumaban cigarrillos el 48,0% de los hombres y el 3,6% de las mujeres. Estimamos que por entonces 560 482 mujeres (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%: 504 783-616 180) mascaban tabaco (normalmente como componente de la nuez de betel) y que la prevalencia de consumo se duplica con creces con cada decada de vida adulta, hasta el punto de que aproximadamente la mitad de las mujeres de edad mascan tabaco. Tanto los hombres como las mujeres citaron la influencia de otros familiares mayores como la razon principal para empezar a consumir tabaco. Alrededor de una de cada cinco mujeres de zonas rurales que consumian tabaco de mascar adquirieron el habito para mitigar las nauseas dei embarazo. La mayor prevalencia de consumo de tabaco de mascar entre las mujeres fue la observada entre las parteras (67,9%) y las curanderas tradicionales (47,2%). Se detectaron tasas elevadas (66,8%) de consume de cigarrillos y de tabaco de pipa entre minorias etnicas representantivas de las numerosas tribus de zonas montanosas que hay per todo el sureste de Asia. Conclusion La epidemia de tabaquismo que afecta a Camboya esta lejos de limitarse al consume de cigarrillos entre los hombres. Las actividades de control dei tabaco que se centren unicamente en los cigarrillos no abordaran la carga sanitaria que se deriva de unas formas de consume de tabaco sin hume en la poblacion femenina muy importantes come parte de las practicas culturales, familiares y de Ia medicina tradicional. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.], Une traduction en francais de ce resume figure a la fin de l'article. Al final del articulo se facilita una traduccion al espanol. Introduction National prevalence data on adult tobacco [...]

Abstract This study examined the role of gender, self-efficacy, age and extroversion on smoking behavior among Ambrose Alli University Students. Two hundred and fifty (250) undergraduates participated in the study [...]

Despite the growing problem of global tobacco use, accurate information on the prevalence and patterns in the world's poorest nations remains sparse. For sub-Sahara Africa, in particular, a weak knowledge base limits the targeting of strategies to combat the potential growth of tobacco use and its harmful effect on future mortality. To describe the prevalence and social patterns of the use of cigarettes and other tobacco in Africa, this study examines population-based data from 16 Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) of men aged 15-54 years and women aged 15-49 years in 14 nations. Descriptive statistics show the highest cigarette use among men in several nations of east central Africa and Madagascar, lowest use in nations of west central Africa, and medium use in nations of southern Africa. Multinomial logistic regression results for men show highest cigarette use among urban, less educated, and lower status workers. Results for women show much lower prevalence than men but similar social patterns of use. The DHS results thus give new and comparable information about tobacco use in low-income nations, disadvantaged social groups, and an understudied region of the world. Keywords: Smoking; Tobacco; Sub-Saharan Africa; Socioeconomic status (SES)

Objectives. We examined the association between psychological abuse in a current relationship and current cigarette smoking among women, with and without the co-occurrence of physical or sexual abuse. Methods. Women's experience of psychological abuse, experience of physical or sexual abuse, and smoking status were ascertained through a survey of female nurses. A score of 20 or more on the Women's Experience With Battering scale defined psychological abuse. We used logistic regression to predict current smoking, adjusting for demographic and social covariates. Analyses included women in a current relationship (n=54200). Results. Adjusted analyses demonstrated that women experiencing only psychological abuse alone were 33% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 13%, 57%) more likely to smoke than nonabused women. Compared with nonabused women, psychologically abused women's risk of smoking was greater if they reported a single co-occurrence of physical or sexual abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.3, 1.8) or multiple co-occurrences (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.7, 2.3). Conclusions. Psychological abuse in a current relationship was associated with an increased risk of smoking in this cohort of largely White, well-educated, and employed women. The co-occurrence of physical or sexual abuse enhanced that risk. Further research is needed to see if these associations hold for other groups. (doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2003.037663)

We investigated the relative importance of sociodemographic factors and psychiatric disorders for smoking among 453 pregnant women in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Women with less than a high school education and those with current-year nicotine dependence had the highest risk of smoking (90.5%), compared with women with a college degree and without nicotine dependence (3.9%). More effective and accessible interventions for nicotine dependence among pregnant smokers are needed. (doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.102772)

Objective: To examine Australian smokers' attitudes towards regulation of the tobacco industry and to compare their attitudes with those of three similar countries--the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), and Canada Method: A telephone survey of 2,056 adult Australian smokers and 6,166 Canadian, US, and UK smokers was conducted in 2004 as the third wave of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Four-Country Survey. Results: Australian smokers display the strongest support for regulation. Only 16% believe that tobacco companies should be allowed to advertise/promote cigarettes as they please, 70% agree that tobacco products should be more tightly regulated, and 64% agree that governments should do more to tackle the harms of smoking. Smokers see government failure to do so in cynical terms--77% agree that governments do not really care about smoking because of money from tobacco taxes. Opposition comes largely from smokers who hold self-exempting beliefs about smoking's risks, have a positive attitude to smoking, do not accept that smoking is socially denormalised, and do not hold tobacco companies responsible for harms caused by smoking. Conclusions and Implications: The majority of Australian smokers believe that the tobacco industry is partly responsible for the predicament they find themselves in and want governments to act more strongly in their real interests. The strong relationship between support for regulation and cynicism about government inaction should stimulate governments into action. Key words: Tobacco, government regulation, smokers' attitudes.

COLLEGE STUDENTS' tobacco use poses a significant public health problem. Effective intervention requires understanding of this behavior among race/ethnic, cultural, and linguistic collegiate subgroups, including deaf and hard of hearing collegians. Findings from a first-ever tobacco-related survey among this understudied population are reported. The authors used written questionnaires and the Interactive Video Questionnaire[TM], a multimedia computer technology developed for use with the deaf and hard of hearing, to interview 241 volunteers on seven California college campuses. They found lower self-reported current smoking prevalence (14.5%) relative to collegians in the general population, but considerable ever smoking (65.1%) and multiple types of tobacco use (37.3%). The authors report on factors associated with tobacco use and on students' exposure to cigarette marketing, gaps experienced in receipt of antitobacco messages and services, and students' antitobacco intervention recommendations. Limitations of the research are described, including possible underreporting of participants' tobacco use.

Marked and increasing socioeconomic gradients in cigarette smoking are well established. Tracking these differentials among women requires appropriate measures of their socioeconomic position (SEP) which are equivalent across older and younger age groups. This study examines socioeconomic gradients in cigarette smoking by age among women aged 20-34, using a standard indicator of SEP (age left full-time education) and alternative indicators which take account of changes in women's educational levels across age cohorts. The study is based on a large cross-sectional British data set (n = 12 398), the Southampton Women's Survey, conducted 1998-2002. Poisson log-linear regression with adjusted variance was used to predict smoking status (ever smoked [greater than or equal to] 1 cigarette a day for 1 year, currently smoking [greater than or equal to] 1 cigarette a day, and ex-smoker--ever-smoker not currently smoking [greater than or equal to] 1 cigarette a day) in models which controlled for SEP, age and year of interview. Socioeconomic gradients in ever-smoking were marked but stable across age groups. With quitting more prevalent in the higher than lower socioeconomic groups, gradients in current smoking steepened across age groups, with significant age/SEP interactions. The socioeconomic patterning of ever, ex and current smoking was similar using both the standard and alternative measures of education, but interactions were less pronounced with the alternative measures. Socioeconomic indicators which take account of the recent and rapid increase in women's educational participation rates may provide a more reliable indication of age-related differentials in smoking status than standard measures. Nonetheless, both conventional and alternative measures point to stable socioeconomic differentials in rates of ever-smoking and widening differentials in current smoking across age groups. Our study confirms that addressing the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and tobacco use remains a major challenge for the tobacco control community. Keywords: Smoking; Women; Socioeconomic gradient; UK

Drawing on the 1998 China national health services survey data, this study estimated the poverty impact of two smoking-related expenses: excessive medical spending attributable to smoking and direct spending on cigarettes. The excessive medical spending attributable to smoking is estimated using a regression model of medical expenditure with smoking status (current smoker, former smoker, never smoker) as part of the explanatory variables, controlling for people's demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The poverty impact is measured by the changes in the poverty head count, after smoking-related expenses are subtracted from income. We found that the excessive medical spending attributable to smoking may have caused the poverty rate to increase by 1.5% for the urban population and by 0.7% for the rural population. To a greater magnitude, the poverty headcount in urban and rural areas increased by 6.4% and 1.9%, respectively, due to the direct household spending on cigarettes. Combined, the excessive medical spending attributable to smoking and consumption spending on cigarettes are estimated to be responsible for impoverishing 30.5 million urban residents and 23.7 million rural residents in China. Smoking related expenses pushed a significant proportion of low-income families into poverty in China. Therefore, reducing the smoking rate appears to be not only a public health strategy, but also a poverty reduction strategy. Keywords: Tobacco control; Poverty; Smoking; China; Expenditure

The 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) sought to determine the prevalence of drinking, smoking, and associated disorders in the general population. This survey, which includes [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.09.008 Byline: Benjamin A. Toll (a), Nicole A. Katulak (b), Sherry A. McKee (a) Keywords: Tobacco; Smoking; Urge; Factor analysis; Psychometric properties Abstract: This study was designed to investigate the proposed two-factor structure of the 10-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief (QSU-Brief) and to provide evidence for the psychometric properties of this questionnaire using the seven-point scoring set from the original QSU study [Tiffany, S.T., Drobes, D.J. (1991). The development and initial validation of a questionnaire on smoking urges. British Journal of Addiction, 86, 1467-1476.]. The study sample (N =576) was comprised of smokers presenting for treatment. Although an initial exploratory factor analysis appeared to replicate the original factor analytic findings of Cox et al. [Cox, L.S., Tiffany, S.T., Christen, A.G. (2001). Evaluation of the brief questionnaire of smoking urges (QSU-Brief) in laboratory and clinical settings. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 3, 7-16.], when subjected to confirmatory factor analyses, a five-item, two-factor model using the most robust items from the original QSU-Brief factor analysis was the best explanation of the data in the present study. Good internal consistency reliability estimates were also obtained with this model. These results suggest that this shortened form of the QSU-Brief can be used with the original seven-point scoring set as a reliable assessment of the dual nature of smoking urges in a treatment-seeking population. Author Affiliation: (a) Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 1 Long Wharf Drive, Box 18, New Haven, CT 06511, USA (b) Yale University, Department of Psychology, USA

This study investigated racial differences of tobacco use and social exposure to tobacco products in a sample of middle school students. Questionnaires were administered in January 2005 to 290 students in a Mississippi Delta-area middle school. The participants were 51.0% female and 56.6% African American. Unadjusted odds ratios revealed that Caucasian students were statistically more likely than were African American students to (1) have ever tried smoking, (2) have ever been a daily smoker, (3) have smoked in the past 30 days, (4) live with someone who smokes, (5) have seen a parent or guardian smoke, and (6) have friends who smoke. In contrast, African Americans were more likely to report 'no one is allowed to smoke' in their home. Caucasian females had the highest rates of smoking, as well as the highest exposure to social smoking behaviors. This study not only showed that Caucasians were indeed smoking more but also that African American adolescents do not have the same exposure to social smoking, particularly African American females. Of particular interest was why the differences eventually dissipate and smoking rates are virtually the same in adulthood. A greater understanding of the impact of exposure to tobacco use on an adolescent's own tobacco use is vital to prevention efforts, especially in regard to racial differences. Future research on youth tobacco prevention and cessation programs should focus on sociocultural and racial differences in the development of tobacco use in adolescents., In the United States, the prevalence of cigarette smoking is similar among adult African Americans and Caucasians. (1) African American men smoke at a higher rate than Caucasian men, while [...]