Best Intentions Up in Smoke

As a pediatrician who often studies adolescents, Dr. James Sargent is used to seeing behavior that isn't quite what one would expect. In his recent study of teenagers' attempts to quit smoking, he wasn't surprised to come up with some surprising findings. Sargent, an associate professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School, and researchers Leila Mott and Marguerite Stevens surveyed New Hampshire adolescent smokers. They found that those who said they intended to quit smoking were actually less likely to do so than those who didn't say they were going to quit. Sargent said he doesn't have a ready explanation for the twist, but suggested it may have to do with teens' rebellious streaks. Adolescents who respond based on what adults would expect might rebel against that norm, he says. "It's a murky picture. Adults are more consistent." Another difference is that, unlike adults, adolescents aren't more likely to kick the habit even after several attempts to quit. He says this is because those who try to quit are likely to be already physically addicted. Sargent urges pediatricians to begin surveying children for smoking at the age of ten, to prevent occasional smokers from turning into regular, addicted smokers. Sargent, the father of two adolescents himself, says parents have their work cut out for them in discouraging children from smoking. "It's a line you walk between being overly punitive and not being able to communicate, and being laissez-faire and knowing all," he said. "It's hard to tell parents how to walk that line. But I see far too often parents capitulating."

Young smokers strike an attitude about quitting.