ADULT SMOKELESS TOBACCO USE AND AGE-OF-ONSET

To determine if an earlier age of onset is associated with greater lev els of adult smokeless tobacco (SLT) use and to evaluate if this relat ionship differs by SLT type, 345 current adult SLT users were intervie wed to obtain the age at first onset and current frequency of SLT use. The results indicated that more than twice as many SLT users began du ring adulthood than during preadolescence. Although preadolescent onse t was associated with greater chewing tobacco use than adolescent onse t, the greatest levels of both chewing tobacco and snuff use were asso ciated with adult onset, suggesting an increased need for SLT preventi on programs for young adults.