Adolescent smoking behavior in Japan, 1996.

We conducted second nationwide survey on smoking behavior among Japanese high school students. The survey was a cross-sectional sampling survey. The survey's targets were junior and senior high schools throughout Japan. Sample schools were selected by stratified cluster sampling. Self-administered anonymous questionnaires were sent to sample schools for all students to fill out. 65.6% of the junior high schools and 67.0% of the senior high schools were responded to this survey. A total of 117,325 students responded and 115,814 questionnaires were subjected to analysis. 7.5% of boys and 3.8% of girls in the 1st grade of junior high school were classified as current smokers, compared with 36.9% of boys and 15.6% of girls in 3rd grade of senior high school. Less than 1% of boys and girls in the 1st grade of junior high school were classified as daily smokers, this figure increased markedly by the 3rd grade of senior high school to reach 25.4% of boys and 7.1% of girls. Of students in the 3rd grade of senior high school, 21.2% of boys and 9.9% of girls had tried smoking before 13 year of age. Cigarette consumption also increased with age, although the proportion of those smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day did not. The major source for cigarettes among current smokers was vending machines. This survey revealed that smoking prevalence among Japanese high school students has already reached quite high level. Comprehensive energetic measures for control minor smoking are necessary in Japan.