America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2009

Regular Cigarette Smoking

Smoking has serious long-term consequences, including the risk of smoking-related diseases and premature death, as well as the increased health care costs associated with treating the illnesses.⁹¹ Many adults who are currently addicted to tobacco began smoking as adolescents, and it is estimated that more than 6 million of today's underage smokers will die of tobacco-related illnesses.⁹² These consequences underscore the importance of studying patterns of smoking among adolescents.

Indicator BEH1: Percentage of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students who reported smoking cigarettes daily in the past 30 days by grade, 1980–2008

• Among 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students in 2008, the percentage who reported smoking cigarettes daily in the past 30 days was about a third to a half of the percentage for the same groups in the peak years of 1996 and 1997. The most dramatic declines were seen among the youngest students. In 2008, 3 percent of 8th-grade students, 6 percent of 10th-grade students, and 11 percent of 12th-grade students reported smoking cigarettes daily in the past 30 days, compared with the respective peaks of 10, 18, and 25 percent.
• Three percent of both male and female 8th-grade students, 6 percent of both male and female 10th-grade students, and 12 percent of male and 11 percent of female 12th-grade students reported daily smoking.
• In 2008, 14 percent of White 12th-grade students reported smoking cigarettes daily in the past 30 days, compared with 6 percent of Black and 7 percent of Hispanic 12th-grade students.

 BEH1 HTML Table