Smoke-free Ordinances and Youth Tobacco Use in Kentucky. Issue 4 (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rayens, Mary Kay; McGeeney, Teresa; Wiggins, Amanda T.; Bucher, Amanda; Ickes, Melinda; Huntington-Moskos, Luz; Clark, Patti; Hahn, Ellen J.
• Is Part Of: American journal of health promotion. Volume 36:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 673
• Page End: 677
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: smoke-free policy -- adolescent -- tobacco use -- outcome assessment -- cigarettes -- smokeless tobacco; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health Promotion; Health promotion; Periodicals; Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.1177/08901171211066913
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-1171

Abstract

Purpose: Determine associations of strength of local smoke-free laws and urban/rural location with cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among high school students in grades 10 and 12. Design: Secondary data analysis from the 2004–2018 biennial Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey Setting: Public high schools in Kentucky Sample: N = 353502 10 th /12 th graders Measures: County-level smoke-free law status from the Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy; Rural Urban Continuum Codes; self-reported last 30-day alcohol, marijuana, cigarette, and smokeless tobacco use Analysis: Generalized estimating equations modeling assessed the association of law status and urban/rural location with tobacco use across cohorts, controlling for demographics and other substance use. Results: Students in counties with a comprehensive smoke-free law were 23% less likely to smoke cigarettes and 16% less likely to use smokeless, compared to those in counties without a law. Students in counties with moderate/weak laws did not differ in likelihood of use for either product, compared to those in counties without a law. Students in urban counties were 14% less likely to smoke, but there was no difference in likelihood of smokeless use by urban/rural location. Conclusion: Comprehensive smoke-free laws are associated with a lower likelihood of youth cigarette and smokeless use. Rural youth may be at increased risk of cigarette smoking relative to youth in urban areas.