CIGARETTE AND ALCOHOL-USE AMONG 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS - RESULT OF A NEWSURVEY

A survey regarding factors affecting the use of cigarettes and tobacco among 4th and 5th graders was conducted in a large suburban school di strict. information was also collected from teachers regarding the stu dents' participation in the DARE program. While it was found that expe rimentation rates for cigarette use was low, use increased significant ly from 4th to 5th grade. Use of alcohol was much higher than cigarett es, and it also increased significantly from 4th to 5th grade. Regress ion analyses revealed that the variables most strongly related to ciga rette use were both peer use of cigarettes and peer pressure to smoke. Sibling use of cigarettes and a child's belief in the harmfulness of smoking were weakly related to cigarette use. Alcohol use was best pre dicted by peer use and peer pressure to drink. Belief in the dangers o f alcohol was not significantly related to alcohol use. Exposure to th e DARE program showed no significant relationship to either cigarette or alcohol use. The results of the survey have two major indications: they support the use of peers in drug intervention efforts aimed at th is age group, and that alcohol use should occupy the larger focus of i ntervention programs in the early grades.