Nationwide Study Shows That Adolescent Smoking May Be Influenced by Mothers' Smoking or Depression

Study reveals that adolescents aged 12 to 17 living with mothers who are current smokers or who have had a major depressive episode in the past year are far more likely to smoke than adolescents not living under these circumstances. Key findings:
 

• Adolescents living with mothers who currently smoke were nearly three times more likely to take up smoking than living with non-smoking mothers (16.9 percent versus 5.8 percent).
   
• Adolescents living with mothers who have suffered from a major depressive episode in the past year were almost twice as likely to take up smoking as adolescents not living in that situation (14.3 percent versus 7.9 percent).


• More than 1 in 4 (25.6 percent) of adolescents live with mothers who currently smoke and nearly 1 in 10 adolescents (9.7 percent) live with mothers who have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. About 1 in 27 (3.7 percent) of all adolescents live with mothers with both of these conditions.


• An estimated 1.4 million persons aged 11 to 17 started smoking in the in the past 12 months.

Quotes from SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “These findings highlight factors that influence smoking among adolescents. It also suggests that prevention of smoking requires attention to multiple risk factors, including mental illness in the family.”

“Knowing the factors that contribute to smoking helps to design and implement the best approach towards prevention and well-being.”

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k10/166/166SmokingMoms.cfm