Examining Differences between Light and Heavier Smoking Vocational Students: A Pilot Study

Objective: To examine differences between light and heavier smoking vocational/technical students in tobacco use, related behaviors, and cessation. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting and Methods: Two hundred and four smokers attending two vocational/technical colleges in east Texas, USA, completed an anonymous survey during a regularly scheduled class in Fall, 2004 or Spring, 2005. Results: Heavier smokers (39.7 per cent of the sample) were more likely than light smokers to be European American, to be dependent on cigarettes, to use cigarettes in a variety of situations, to use medication to quit smoking, and to be less likely to report a desire to quit on their own. The two groups did not differ on gender or the use of cigars and chewing tobacco. Conclusion: Given the disproportionately high rates of tobacco use among vocational/technical students, results from this study indicate that salient anti-tobacco programs that can be implemented at the vocational school and that target light and heavier smoking students are needed. (Contains 3 tables.)