title: Adolescent Light Cigarette Smoking Patterns and Adult Cigarette Smoking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Light cigarette smoking has had limited research. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between light smoking in adolescence with smoking in adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data, Waves I and IV, were analyzed. Previous month adolescent smoking of 1-5 cigarettes/day (cpd) (light smoking); 6-16 cpd (average smoking); 17 or more cpd (heavy smoking); and nonsmoking were compared with the outcome of adult smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 15.9% of adolescents were light smokers, 6.8% were average smokers, and 3.6% were heavy smokers. The smoking patterns were significantly related to adult smoking. In logistic regression analyses, adolescent light smokers had an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 2.45 (95% CI: 2.00, 3.00) of adult smoking; adolescent average or heavy smokers had AOR of 5.57 (95% CI: 4.17, 7.43) and 5.23 (95% CI: 3.29, 8.31), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals who initiate light cigarette smoking during adolescence are more likely to smoke as young adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When screening for tobacco use by adolescents, there is a need to verify that the adolescents understand that light smoking constitutes smoking. There is a need for healthcare providers to initiate interventions for adolescent light smoking.
authors.affiliation: Dental Practice and Rural Health, School of Dentistry, 104A Health Sciences Center Addition, P.O. Box 9448, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: ConstanceWiener
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Division of Dental Hygiene, West Virginia University, Robert C Byrd Health Sciences Center North, Room 1192A, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
authors.forename: Alcinda K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Trickett Shockey
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, West Virginia University, Robert C Byrd Health Sciences Center North, P.O. Box 9490, Room 1070, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Morgan