Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs)

Cigarette Brand Preference Aamong Middle and High School Students who are Established Smokers—United States, 2004 and 2006

The three most heavily advertised brands, Marlboro, Newport, and Camel, continue to be the preferred brands of cigarettes smoked by established student smokers in middle and high school.
The report indicates that cigarette brand preferences were similar among established smokers in middle and high schools.

The preference for Marlboro, Newport, and Camel was 78.2%, ranging from 67.7% to 80.5% across racial or ethnic groups and by sex.
Among middle school students, 43.3% identified Marlboro as the brand they usually smoked, followed by Newport (26.4%), other brands (14.6%), Camel (8.5%), and no usual brand (7.2%).
The use of Camel was higher among males (12.4%) compared with females (4.1%).
Non-Hispanic whites were more likely than blacks, Hispanics, and students of multiple races to smoke Marlboro.
Blacks were more likely than non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and students of multiple races to smoke Newport.

Among high school students, the preference for Marlboro, Newport, and Camel was 86.5%, ranging from 79.2% to 90.3% across racial or ethnic groups and by sex.
Among high school students, 52.3% identified Marlboro as the brand they usually smoked, followed by Newport (21.4%), Camel (12.8%), other brands (10.3%), and no usual brand (3.3%).
Asian, non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and multiracial students were more likely than blacks to smoke Marlboro.
Blacks were more likely than Hispanics, multiracial students, Asians, and non-Hispanic whites to smoke Newport.
Non-Hispanic whites and multiracial students were more likely than blacks to smoke Camel, and Hispanics were more likely than Asians to smoke other brands.

The Institute of Medicine has recommended that stronger and more comprehensive regulations are needed to protect youth from exposure to all forms of advertising and promotional activities by tobacco companies.
Mass media campaigns combined with other interventions are one component of comprehensive tobacco-control initiatives that have been found effective in reducing initiation of smoking. Other effective strategies include increasing the unit price of tobacco products and implementing smoke-free indoor air policies and legislation.

Page last modified 02/12/2009