Reports a study that examined how levels of physical activity and participation on school athletic teams correlated with tobacco and alcohol use among adolescents. Results indicated that level of physical activity and athletic participation correlated with less cigarette smoking but more binge drinking. (SM)

Investigates the prevalence of illicit drug use, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behavior among a sample of high-school adolescents in the Pietersburg area of South Africa. Findings indicate the prevalence rate of 19.8% for illicit drug use, 10.6% for cigarette smoking and 39.1% for alcohol consumption among the participants. Implications…

Surveys of adolescents examined the link between sports promotion and advertising of alcohol and tobacco and teen smoking and drinking behaviors. Data analysis found an association between exposure to sporting events and cigarette use and beer consumption. Watching stock car racing was related to cigarette use; football and basketball to beer use.…

Conducted a meta-evaluation of 11 school-based smoking prevention programs. Criteria included: adequacy of research design; evidence of reliability and validity; appropriate statistical analyses and interpretations; reporting of effect sizes or practical significance; accounting for attrition; and tracking fidelity to the program. Criteria with…

Used the RE-AIM (reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) evaluation framework to assess how thoroughly recent school-based studies in 12 leading journals addressed RE-AIM issues, emphasizing external validity. Studies rarely addressed RE-AIM dimensions regarding external validity. School-based behavior change interventions…

College counselors can play an important role in implementing brief strategies that will motivate students to stop smoking cigarettes. Provides an overview of motivational interviewing, a specific protocol that can be applied to college student smoking. Also presents preliminary evidence of the success of this approach in promoting abstinence from…

Examined the relationship between academic and behavioral difficulties at school and tobacco use in 4th-7th graders. Data from student interviews at the time of enrollment and 8 months later indicated that average to below-average academic performance at baseline predicted new cigarette use at 8 months. Self-reported school difficulties related to…

Describes Wisconsin case involving the suicide of seventh-grade girl after principal suspended her for having a cigarette in her locker--disciplinary action required by school board policy. Parents sued claiming violation of their daughter's 14th Amendment rights and state negligence laws. Federal appellate court dismissed all claims; parents…

Interviews with 127 women who had recently given birth ascertained three components of learning transaction types related to learning about weight gain and alcohol and tobacco use. Majority spent most of their time in other-initiated learning episodes one-to-one or with print/nonprint material. Learning transaction types were associated with…

Discusses techniques for infusing tobacco-related issues into the elementary curriculum on a grade-by-grade basis. Associates tobacco with a variety of social, economic, geographic, and historical concerns, using recommended approaches for the prevention of drug abuse. (LS)

A group of outstanding science teachers agreed that student motivation and interest soar when real-life issues are used as themes for study. Illustrates how the interdisciplinary approach works with the issue of smoking. (MLF)

Investigates the potential of inoculation for promoting resistance to smoking onset among young adolescents. Provides data from a two-year study of efficacy of inoculation videos for promoting resistance to smoking. Suggests that, if resistance approaches are to have a chance of success, they must target young adolescents at the transition from…

A study found that children whose parents smoke are more likely to be smokers than children whose parents do not smoke. Maternal smoking has a stronger effect than paternal smoking on smoking by young adolescents, and has a stronger effect on daughters than on sons. Perceived peer smoking is an important determinant of a child smoking, especially…

Describes an initiative that offered smokers nicotine replacement along with smoking cessation and overall wellness interventions. The intervention included weekly smoking education sessions and round table discussions, dietary fat restriction, and nicotine replacement. Participant questionnaires indicated the program helped, but the decision to…

Studied weight gain after smoking cessation in a naturalistic setting where all smokers quit and risk factors for postcessation weight gain were modified. Results showed no significant weight changes for smokers who quit. Suggests that an intensive program featuring dietary guidelines and increased physical activity can attenuate weight gain. (RJM)