Experimentation and use of cigarette and other tobacco products among Brazilian adolescents. National Research of School Health, 2012

Barreto, Sandhi

INTRODUCTION: Nicotine dependence establishes itself more rapidly among adolescents than among adults. Tobacco occupies the fourth place in the rank of main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases in the continent. Studies reveal that other forms of tobacco use have increased among adolescents.

METHODS: All 9^thgrade school children (13-15 years of age) participants of the Brazilian School Health Survey (PeNSE) in 2012, in the 26 Brazilian capitals and the Federal District (n=61,037) were included. Factors independently associated with experimenting and regular use of cigarettes were investigated by means of multinomial logistic regression, using as reference “never tried a cigarette”. The use of other tobacco products included cigar, pipe, narghile and others.

RESULTS: 22.7% (CI95%: 21.7-23.5) has experimented cigarettes, 6.1% are regular smokers and 7.1% (CI95%: 6.5-7.7) has used other tobacco products, being half of them also regular smokers. The chances of experimenting and being regular smoker increased with age and according to the frequency of weekly exposure to other smokers. These chances were also higher among students who worked, who lived in monoparental families or without their parents and those who felt that their parents would not mind if they smoked.

CONCLUSIONS: The multiuse of tobacco in worthy of attention and may lead to regular smoking. Results reinforce the association between social disadvantages and experimenting and regular smoking.