Minnesota's "Tobacco-Free Schools" project encourages school districts to adopt policies which prohibit tobacco use for students, staff, and visitors. In one year, the project has increased the percentage of smoke-free schools in Minnesota from 3 to 43 percent. (Author/CB)

Estimates schooling's effect on the odds that men and women smoke for five age cohorts, using 1989 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data. Schooling reduces the odds that men (ages 25 to 54) and women (ages 25 to 44) smoke. Schooling does not affect whether men (ages 55 to 64) or women (ages 45 to 64) smoke. (MLH)

Health and medical researchers have conclusively proven that smoking and secondhand smoke constitute a major health danger. Students get mixed messages when school staff smoke or use other tobacco products on campus. This article advocates a total ban on tobacco use in school settings, offers policymaking guidelines, summarizes state legislation,…

Participants (n=128) quit smoking on a target date, after a 3-week period of either scheduled reduced smoking, nonscheduled reduced smoking, scheduled nonreduced smoking, or nonscheduled, nonreduced smoking. After one year, the scheduled reduced group performed the best, and the nonscheduled reduced group the worst. Both scheduled groups performed…

Examines the complex public debate over the risks of passive smoking that includes the issues of individual choice, personal space, community, social norms, and morality. Discusses the composition of ETS (gases and particulates that disperse into the air when a smoker smokes) and the efforts of tobacco lobbies. (LZ)

National survey data show that prevalences of drug use and drinking in metropolitan areas along the Mexican border were similar to those of the rest of the United States. Hispanics residing near the border had lower prevalence rates for most drugs than did other U.S. Hispanics, although Hispanic border youth had rates similar to other U.S. youth.…

Smokers (n=2,021) received experimental self-quitting guide emphasizing nonaversive behavioral strategies; same guide with support guide for family and friends; both guides plus telephone counseling; or control group guide of motivational and quit tips. Controls achieved quit rates similar to those of subjects using experimental guide. Telephone…

Neither health education nor suspension appears to help tobacco-addicted students cut back or stop smoking completely. This article describes a Long Island high school's efforts to help 27 (volunteer) students develop their own smoke-cessation program. Most participants, who had begun smoking in middle school, reduced their tobacco dependency, and…

Before and after implementation of a program in which physicians counseled patients about smoking, 22 physicians were surveyed and patient records reviewed. Although the program spurred more doctors to give patients self-help materials, no significant reduction of smoking occurred. (SK)

Reviews international literature to identify the most effective measures to prevent smoking among adolescents. Concludes that isolated measures produce little effect. Most effect may be expected from a combination of a complete ban on tobacco advertising, increasing prices, restricting tobacco product sales to tobacconists, mass media education…

Focuses on recent evidence now available from France and Spain on the smoking behavior of adolescents and young people. Evidence indicates that it will be a massive challenge to reduce smoking among young people. Argues that public awareness of the threat to health from smoking should be raised and that public health measures require further…

Examines the increasing problem of teenage smoking in modern China. Reviews China's smoking control efforts, a major feature of which has been to educate the youth against smoking so as to prevent them from starting and reduce the overall number of new smokers. (Contains 61 references.) (Author/GCP)

Considers the relationship between self-esteem and smoking in youth by analyzing survey data of two Scottish samples of 13 to 14-year-olds (N=2,900). The findings for peer groupings, self-esteem, and smoking indicate that young people who were socially isolated report both lower self-esteem and smoking prevalence, while peer-oriented youth report…

Describes the design of a cohort of 6th-grade students, methods for tracking and retaining students as they advanced through 8th and 11th grade, and costs involved for survey completion in school and by mail for students who had ever and never used tobacco. Problems unique to the school setting are addressed, with suggestions for efficient…

Presents data from the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a self-administered questionnaire that included questions about cigarette, smokeless tobacco, and cigar use. Results indicated that the prevalence of current cigarette smoking among U.S. high school students had increased since 1991, and 42.7% of students had used cigarettes, smokeless…