A study was done of the relationship between the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and participation in youth groups that emphasize moral values. The study used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) and the 1990 follow-up of the same students and parents. The NELS:88 and 1990 data contain student, school, teacher, and parent surveys and test scores of a nationally representative sample of 24,599 eighth-grade students in 1,035 schools. A null hypothesis that youth group participation, number of television viewing hours, lack of parents in the home when children return from school, knowing the parents of a child's best friend, socioeconomic status, and locus of control were not related to students' smoking behavior was tested using a multiple regression analysis with a two-stage stratified sample probability design. Results of the analysis show that participants in scouting, boys' clubs, girls' clubs, 4-H, or Young Men's Christian Association were more likely to use cigarettes than were non-participating peers, although the positive relationship was very small. In addition, the results show that participation in religious youth groups was related to lower substance abuse, and that non-participants in religious groups were more likely to smoke cigarettes. Included are 13 tables and 26 references. (JB)