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Important Facts for Cigarette Use among Middle School Students

Definition

Percentage of middle school (7th-8th grade) students who have used cigarettes on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey

Numerator

Number of middle school student survey respondents who have used cigarettes on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey

Denominator

Total number of middle school student survey respondents

Data Interpretation Issues

2014 is the last year for which data are available.

Why Is This Important?

Tobacco use is usually initiated during adolescence. Nearly 90% of adult smokers begin smoking before 18 years of age.[https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm ^1^] Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, leads to disease and disability, and harms nearly every organ of the body.[https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/index.htm ^2^]

Other Objectives

'''Revised Healthy New Jersey 2020 Objective TU-1c''': Reduce the proportion of middle school students (grades 7 to 8) who are current smokers (any use in past 30 days) to 1.0% among the total population, 0.7% among Whites, 0.4% among Blacks, 1.9% among Hispanics, and 0.3% among Asians. '''Original Healthy New Jersey 2020 Objective TU-1c''': Reduce the proportion of middle school students (grades 7 to 8) who are current smokers (any use in past 30 days) to 3.9% among the total population, 4.2% among Whites, 2.8% among Blacks, 5.9% among Hispanics, and 1.1% among Asians.

How Are We Doing?

Due to insufficient data, accomplishment of Healthy New Jersey 2020 targets can not be determined.

What Is Being Done?

The Office of Tobacco Control is spearheading work on statewide comprehensive tobacco free policies in schools. New Jersey Quit Services are accessible online and by phone. In July, 2017, a bill raising the minimum age for purchase and sale of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices from 19 to 21 was signed into law. [https://nj.gov/health/fhs/tobacco/regulations/]

Health Program Information

[https://nj.gov/health/fhs/tobacco/ NJDOH Office of Tobacco Control]
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 11:22:18 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

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