Smokeless Tobacco Use among Adolescents: Demographic Differences, other Substance Use, and Psychological Correlates

Abstract

Survey data on smokeless tobacco and other substance use were obtained from 2,926 seventh, ninth, and eleventh graders in Ventura County, California public schools. Patterns of smokeless tobacco use were examined relative to other drug use, particularly cigarette smoking. Few females used smokeless tobacco regularly, as compared to 4.7 percent of the males. The data supported the view that the recent increases in smokeless tobacco use were related to male tobacco users' belief that smokeless tobacco was less harmful to physical health than cigarette smoking. A Guttman scalogram analysis showed that tobacco use, either cigarette smoking or smokeless tobacco use, occurred after marijuana use rather than before. Perceived parental attitudes toward marijuana use predicted both cigarette smoking and use of smokeless tobacco, whereas perceived parental attitudes toward alcohol use was only related to use of cigarettes. Quality of life measures were inversely related to both cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use, but mood state measures predicted only cigarette smoking. Implications of the results for a historical hydraulic model of aggregate drug use are discussed with recommendations for improved approaches to the prevention of drug abuse.