Objectives. The predictive value of perceptions of smoking-related risks and benefits with
regard to adolescent smoking initiation has not been adequately established. We used …

Background. Explanations of adolescent smoking often make reference to adolescents'
beliefs that they are invulnerable to harm. However, empirical examination of whether …

Purpose: To evaluate whether adolescents understand the risks of smoking when they
decide to start. Estimates of objective risks that can be compared with epidemiologic …

Objective: To evaluate developmental changes, personal smoking experiences, and
vicarious smoking experiences as predictors of adolescents' perceptions of the risks and …

BACKGROUND: Relatively little research has focused on the social norms of teen smoking.
This study examined social norms regarding adolescent smoking and their relationship with …

Objectives. Our study presents national estimates of the proportion of youths in each of 7
stages of smoking and investigates the associations between risk/protective factors and …

Background. Most adult smokers report trying their first cigarette before age 18 years.
Understanding the impact of smoking initiation at young ages may help public health policy …

Background. To inform the development of messages for tobacco prevention programs, we
examined seven positive and five negative outcome expectations of smoking as risk factors …

Objectives Evidence suggests that age at smoking initiation has implications for tobacco
use, nicotine dependence, and resulting long-term health and chronic disease outcomes …

Context Understanding how advertising and other risk and demographic factors affect
adolescent susceptibility to smoking would allow for the development of more effective youth …