摘要：We explored cigarette smoking prevalence rates in former high school seniors 1 year after graduation and found that among 12th grade never smokers, 25% initiated smoking, and among 12th grade ever smokers, 39% increased their cigarette use. Alcohol use in 12th grade, along with not attending college, were both positively related to smoking progression. Risk for smoking initiation does not end at adolescence, and the public health community must continue tobacco control initiatives throughout adolescence and young adulthood. In 2000, lifetime and 30-day prevalence rates of smoking among college students were 53% and 29%, respectively. 1 Some young adults become regular smokers for the first time during college 2 : as many as 37% initiate smoking and 25% progress in their habit. 3 Other reports also suggest young adulthood is a time of smoking risk, 4 – 6 but initiation and progression risk factors are unclear. Because risk factor identification is key to tobacco control efforts, 7 we explored factors related to change in smoking prevalence among high school seniors 1 year after completion of 12th grade. We assumed that the developmental period of adolescence transitioning into young adulthood remains a period of risk for smoking 8 , 9 and initiation and progression are observable within this period. 10 , 11 We hypothesized that social and behavioral risk factors for initiation and progression could be identified.
