Smoking areas on school grounds: are we encouraging teenagers to smoke?
In the United States, smoking has been identified as a major health hazard for the past 20 years. This study attempts to determine the relationship between the availability of a smoking area on school grounds, the incidence of smoking among teenagers, and the number of cigarettes smoked per day by teenagers. A questionnaire was administered to the target population and a matched control group at two suburban high schools, similar in size and socioeconomic status. One of the two schools provided a smoking area for students. The findings suggest a possible relationship between providing a smoking area for students and an increase in the number of teenage smokers. The findings also indicate a possible decrease in teenage, male smokers. Our findings should prompt health professionals, educators, and parents to ask, "Are we encouraging our teenagers to smoke?"
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools / Q000592:standards*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires