September 20, 2007 |
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Combined data from 2005 and 2006 indicate that nearly one fourth (24.4 percent) of blacks aged 12 or older were current smokers (i.e., used cigarettes in the past month). The rate of current smoking among blacks varied by age group, with the lowest rate among youths aged 12 or 13 (1.2 percent) and the highest among adults aged 21 to 25 (31.0 percent) (Figure 1).
Age Group | Percent |
---|---|
12 to 13 | 1.2% |
14 to 15 | 5.2% |
16 to 17 | 12.2% |
18 to 20 | 23.7% |
21 to 25 | 31.0% |
26 to 34 | 27.4% |
35 or Older | 27.0% |
Source: SAMHSA, 2005 and 2006 NSDUHs. |
Overall, black males were more likely to have smoked cigarettes in the past month than black females (29.3 vs. 20.4 percent); however, there were some exceptions to this pattern within particular age groups. Among blacks in the youngest age groups (i.e., those aged 12 or 13 and those aged 14 or 15), rates of past month cigarette use were similar for males and females (Figure 2). Among older youths aged 16 or 17 and adults aged 18 or older, black males were more likely to be current smokers than were black females.
Age Group | Percent | |
---|---|---|
Male | Female | |
12 to 13 | 1.2% | 1.2% |
14 to 15 | 4.2% | 6.1% |
16 to 17 | 14.2% | 10.1% |
18 to 20 | 27.3% | 19.9% |
21 to 25 | 36.7% | 26.4% |
26 to 34 | 35.6% | 20.5% |
35 or Older | 32.9% | 22.4% |
Source: SAMHSA, 2005 and 2006 NSDUHs. |
Among blacks who were current smokers, 80.4 percent used menthol cigarettes in the past month in 2005 and 2006. The percentage of current smokers using menthol cigarettes varied somewhat by gender and age. Overall, black female smokers were more likely than their male counterparts to use menthol cigarettes (84.3 vs. 77.1 percent). Among blacks who currently smoked, the highest rate of menthol cigarette use was among adults aged 26 to 34 (89.6 percent) and the lowest was among youths aged 12 to 17 (70.4 percent) (Figure 3).
Age Group | Percent |
---|---|
12 to 17 | 70.4% |
18 to 20 | 81.2% |
21 to 25 | 85.4% |
26 to 34 | 89.6% |
35 or Older | 77.3% |
Source: SAMHSA, 2005 and 2006 NSDUHs. |
Combined data from 2005 and 2006 indicate that an annual average of 263,000 blacks smoked cigarettes for the first time in the 12 months before the survey. This represents 2.0 percent of blacks aged 12 or older who were at risk for initiation (i.e., those who had not previously smoked cigarettes) (Table 1). Among those at risk for initiation, the rates of past year initiation varied by age group, with the highest rate among black youths aged 16 or 17 (7.7 percent) and the lowest among black adults aged 35 or older (0.1 percent).
Age Group | Gender | ||
---|---|---|---|
Male | Female | Total | |
Percent | Percent | Percent | |
Total | 2.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
12 to 13 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
14 to 15 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
16 to 17 | 5.9 | 9.6 | 7.7 |
18 to 20 | 8.1 | 6.8 | 7.4 |
21 to 25 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
26 to 34 | 0.9 | * | 0.7 |
35 or Older | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Source: SAMHSA, 2005 and 2006 NSDUHs. |
Overall and for most age groups, black males and females had similar rates of past year cigarette use initiation. The one exception was that among youths aged 16 or 17 who had not previously used cigarettes, black females were more likely to have initiated cigarette use during the past year than black males (9.6 vs. 5.9 percent).
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 2005 and 2006 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 136,110 persons aged 12 or older, including 16,347 blacks. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information on NSDUH used in compiling data for this report is available in the following publications: Office of Applied Studies. (2007). Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 07-4293, NSDUH Series H-32). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies. (2006). Results from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 06-4194, NSDUH Series H-30). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov. Because of improvements and modifications to the 2002 NSDUH, estimates from the 2002 through the 2006 surveys should not be compared with estimates from the 2001 or earlier versions of the survey to examine changes over time. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov. |
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