Are Adolescent Cigarette Smokers Who Use Smokeless Tobacco More Likely to Continue Smoking in the Future than Cigarette-Only Smokers : Results from Waves I and II of the Adolescent Health Survey

Abstract EN

We explored whether dual use of smokeless and cigarettes among adolescents predicts continued smoking.

Data came from Waves I (1994-95) and II (1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, using information from 3,284 Wave I current smokers.

Multivariate models were used to assess whether use of smokeless tobacco at Wave I was associated with continuation of cigarette smoking at Wave II, controlling for possible confounders.

The prevalence of current cigarette smoking at Wave 1 was 27.9%; among this group of adolescents and young adults, 14.5% also used smokeless tobacco.

At Wave II, 73.6% of dual product users and 78.4% of cigarette-only users in Wave I reported continued smoking (OR=0.71 [95% CI 0.52–0.98]).

Combined use of cigarette and smokeless tobacco does not appear to be related to continued smoking one year later.

Longer-term followups are needed to determine the stability of this relationship for ≥1 year.