Do Sources of Cigarettes Among Adolescents Vary by Age Over Time?

Abstract

Trends in sources of cigarettes among adolescents were assessed using data from a teen cohort (2000–2006). Five sources—bought from store, got from other teen, stole from others, bought from others, and got from an adult—were measured over time by age. The most common source among all ages was other teens. Fewer teens bought cigarettes from stores, with a downward trend for all ages. Among all ages there was an upward trend in stealing, with younger teens more likely to steal cigarettes. In addition to targeting cigarette sales, interventions are needed to target other youth cigarette sources.

KEYWORDS:

• access
• adolescents
• cigarettes
• smoking
• source

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Rose Hilk for her assistance with data management; Clearwater Research, Inc., for its careful implementation of the telephone survey procedures; and the Health Survey Research Center for its assistance with tracking participants.

Notes

^a Round 2 data due to no 17-year-olds in first survey round.

Note. Bold entries are significant at p < .05. Ref. = referent group.

^a The odds ratio is the odds at one survey round compared to the odds at the previous survey round for each age group 14 to 17.