BACKGROUND: The American Legacy Foundation's truth campaign holds that exposing tobacco industry tactics will encourage youth to assert their independence from tobacco use and adopt more negative images of smoking. This study assessed this rationale. METHODS: A national RDD survey of 6,800 12-24 year olds in late 1999, prior to campaign launch, measured youth attitudes and tobacco use. Analysis investigated the relationships between attitudes and a smoking uptake continuum: (1) nonsusceptible never smokers, (2) susceptible never smokers, (3) early smokers, and (4) established smokers. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis identified a two dimensions of youth attitudes toward the tobacco industry: awareness of industry manipulation and perception in industry rights; both were significantly related with smoking uptake. Among 12-17 year olds, 28.4% of nonsusceptible never smokers, 20.6% of susceptible never smokers, 10.5% of early smokers, and 5.9% of established smokers strongly agreed that tobacco companies try to get young people to start smoking. In the industry rights area, 33.9% of nonsusceptile 12-17 year olds, and 23.5% of susceptible never smokers, compared to 4.1% of established smokers strongly agreed that cigarette companies should go out of business. The relationships between uptake and industry attitudes were comparable in strength to the relationships between uptake and perceptions of health risks and smoking imagery. Males and Hispanics reported more favorable attitudes toward the tobacco industry and were less aware of risks. CONCLUSIONS: Youth attitudes about the tobacco industry were associated with smoking uptake. Hence, messages targeting industry-related attitudes may help to prevent tobacco use.
Learning Objectives: Understand the role of attitudes toward the tobacco industry on smoking uptake Learn to develop effective anti-tobacco message for youth Exchange ideas about effective prevention messages with adolescents
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Smoking
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