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Joyce Moon-Howard, DrPH

Requests for reprints should be sent to Joyce Moon-Howard, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Center for Applied Public Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 (e-mail: jmh7{at}columbia.edu).

It is commonly accepted that adolescence is the period for initiation into smoking and other tobacco use behaviors. However, evidence is increasing that the set of presumptions about adolescent onset of tobacco use may not be true for all cultural or subpopulation groups.

Secondary analysis of data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) was used to examine ethnic differences in smoking patterns among African American and White women. Results showed a striking racial/ethnic difference in age of onset; African American women initiate smoking later than White women at each age group.

Prevention interventions need to continue beyond adolescence well into the adult years, especially for African American women. Late onset for these women represents an often missed window of opportunity for prevention.

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