Cigarette Smoking Among High School Students—United States, 1991—2005


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July 7, 2006 / Vol. 55 / No. 26


MMWR Highlights

  • Lifetime cigarette use was stable during 1991–1999 and then declined significantly from 70.4% in 1999 to 54.3% in 2005. Lifetime cigarette is defined as having every tried cigarette smoking, even one or two puffs.
  • Current cigarette use increased from 27.5% in 1991 to 36.4% in 1997 and then declined significantly to 23.0% in 2005. Current cigarette use is defined as having smoked on one or more days of the 30 days preceding the survey.
  • Current frequent cigarette use, defined as smoking on at least 20 of the 30 days preceding the survey, increased from 12.7% in 1991 to 16.8% in 1999, and then declined significantly to 9.4% in 2005.
  • No statistically significant differences in lifetime, current, or current frequent cigarette use overall were detected between 2003 and 2005.
  • Comparisons of current cigarette use between 2003 and 2005 for all subgroups revealed no significant differences, except among black males, whose current cigarette use declined from 19.3% to 14%.
  • The national health objective for 2010 of reducing current smoking rates among high school students to 16% or less can be achieved only if the annual rate of decline observed during 1997–2003 resumes.

 


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