Adolescents’ Perceptions of Light and Intermittent Smoking in the United States

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Light smoking, consuming a few cigarettes daily, and intermittent, or nondaily, smoking patterns are increasingly common but carry health risks comparable to heavier smoking patterns. Nearly all smokers begin smoking as adolescents, who are at risk for developing these smoking patterns. Previous research suggests that smokers underestimate the risks associated with smoking. The extent to which adolescents perceive light and intermittent smoking as harmful has not been previously assessed.METHODS: Data from 24 658 US adolescents sampled by the 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a national, school-based, cross-sectional survey, were examined. Cross-tabulations and multivariate ordered probit regression models were constructed to describe correlates of US adolescents' perception of light and intermittent smoking.RESULTS: Although most adolescents (88.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87.2% to 88.8%) reported beliefs that a heavier smoking pattern is very harmful, only 64.3% (95% CI; 63.2% to 65.3%) and 33.3% (95% CI; 32.0% to 34.6%) reported that light and intermittent smoking, respectively, are very harmful. Conversely, nearly one-quarter of US adolescents believed intermittent smoking causes little or no harm. Males, younger adolescents, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic blacks were more likely than their peers to view light and intermittent smoking patterns as less harmful. Those who were already light or intermittent smokers, those who used other tobacco products, and those who had a family member who used tobacco were also less likely to view their smoking patterns as harmful.CONCLUSIONS: Misconceptions about the safety of light and intermittent smoking are widespread among US adolescents. Significant public health attention is needed to redress these misperceptions.WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Light and intermittent smoking are harmful, but increasingly common, smoking patterns. It is unknown how adolescents perceive these smoking patterns, and whether these views differ by sociodemographic characteristics, and exposure to and use of tobacco.WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: US adolescents perceive light and intermittent smoking as significantly less dangerous than heavier smoking. One in 4 adolescents believes intermittent smoking causes little to no harm. Perceptions of relative safety were common among smokers.

Perceptions of e-Cigarettes and Noncigarette Tobacco Products Among US Youth

“…Conversely, cigarette use was associated with beliefs that noncigarette products were more harmful, underscoring how adolescents perceive whichever product they use as less harmful. Corroborating existing research on adolescent tobacco perceptions, 19,21,34 findings reported here extend 7 .030…”

“…Those who lived with a household member who used these tobacco products were more likely to contend that products were less harmful and addictive, findings previously observed. 19,21,34 Differences by ethnicity and gender also reflect this finding, with adjusted analyses finding that non-Hispanic white and male students, groups with the highest rates of e-cigarette use, 28 were more likely to view e-cigarettes, as well as smokeless tobacco products, as less harmful than cigarettes. Nonetheless, in all subgroups of e-cigarette-naive respondents and in most subgroups of e-cigarette users assessed, perception of relative safety has increased over the past few years, seemingly indicating a global change in youth attitudes toward these products.…”

“…17 For example, previous research has noted that social norms and exposure to tobacco-related media influence adolescents' later tobacco use patterns, probably by influencing how individuals perceive such products. 17,18 Recent research has demonstrated associations between youth perceptions of comparative harm and tobacco product use in the cases of light and intermittent smoking patterns 19 and e-cigarettes. 20 -22 Perceptions of relative safety regarding e-cigarettes may lead to unintended consequences.…”

The Smoking Mind: A Psycho-Cognitive Perspective

“…Usually, intermittent and light smokers tend to underestimate the harm of cigarette consumption. They also display a tendency not to perceive themselves as "traditional" cigarette smokers, but rather as being more similar to nonsmokers (49,50). Despite these observations, intra-group differences do exist in risk perception between younger and older adolescents: older adolescents consider light smoking and intermittent cigarette smoking as more dangerous than younger adolescents (49).…”

Factors associated with Intermittent and Light Smoking among Korean High School Students: Intermittent and Light Smoking among Korean Adolescents

“…Adolescence is a critical period for the beginning of health-related risk behaviors such as smoking [1]. Between 12~22% of adolescents in the USA and 27~30% in Europe have smoked cigarettes at some point [2].…”