Clinical correlates of heavy tobacco use among adolescents

The primary aim of this study was to determine the clinical factors differe ntiating adolescents with heavy smoking (greater than or equal to 10 cigare ttes/day) from adolescents with light smoking. This study involved a study group of 812 adolescents recruited from adolescent alcoholism treatment cen ters and from the community. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that adolescents with heavy smoking, compared with adolescents with light smoki ng, were significantly more likely to demonstrate Caucasian American ethnic ity, drug-use disorders, alcohol-use disorders, and conduct disorder. Our f indings suggest that the clinical correlates of heavy smoking among adolesc ents are generally similar to those for smoking at any level (vs. nonsmoker s), except that heavy smoking is more strongly associated with Caucasian Am erican ethnicity. Also, depressive disorders were associated with smoking a t any level in our sample, but depressive disorders were not associated wit h heavy smoking. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.