Preventing cigarette use in a bi-ethnic population: Results of the MemphisSmoking Prevention Program

Previous research has shown that smoking prevention programs significantly reduce rates of adolescent smoking. However, such programs have been evalua ted using primarily Caucasian samples. As a result, little is known about t he efficacy of existing curricula with African American youth. Further, few attempts have been made to modify prevention programs for African American students. Thus, these programs may be less relevant for African American c hildren than Caucasian youngsters. To address these issues, we have develop ed a smoking prevention program specifically for an ethnically diverse popu lation. this curriculum, known as the Memphis Smoking Prevention Program, w as submitted to a large-scale randomized pilot evaluation. In this report, we summarize the effects of the program on smoking-related knowledge, attit udes, and behavioral expectations.