title: Self-recognition of alcohol and cigarette dependency among high school seniors.
abstract: A brief, anonymous survey of 284 high school seniors at one midwestern metropolitan public high school assessed current smoking, history of alcohol use, and students' beliefs in future risk of dependency. A major purpose was to assess students' self-recognition of alcohol and cigarette dependency. Of the seniors surveyed, 92 (32%) were current smokers, and 237 (84%) reported a previous history of alcohol use. 52% of current smokers indicated they were already "hooked" on cigarettes or anticipated a good chance of cigarette addiction five years later. In contrast, 94% of regular alcohol users indicated there was either no chance (71%) or only a mild chance (23%) of ever becoming an alcoholic. Six of every ten high school smokers surveyed reported that quitting cigarettes for three days would be difficult.
authors.affiliation: Loyola University of Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Daughton
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Daughton
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Patil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology