In Brief

Perceived Accessibility as a Predictor of Youth Smoking

Chyke A. Doubeni , and colleagues

Background Youths who believe they have easy access to illegal substances are more likely to get and experiment with those substances. This study looks at whether young people's perception of access to cigarettes predicts future patterns of smoking.

What This Study Found The perception that cigarettes are easy to obtain increases the risk for starting and continuing to smoke. Teens who perceive easy access and have friends who smoke are more likely to smoke regularly than those exposed to either factor alone.

Implications

• The perception among teens that cigarettes are easy to obtain is an important factor in starting and continuing to smoke.
• The authors suggest that clinicians routinely ask teens about their perceptions of accessibility to tobacco and their exposure to peers who smoke.