Study: Teen Smoking Hits Historic Low in State

Raleigh, N.C. — The majority of teens in North Carolina have never tried smoking, according to a statewide survey.

The 2007 North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey, released Tuesday, showed historic lows in teen smoking in the state.

The study showed nearly 79 percent of middle school students and 51.1 percent of high school students have never tried smoking.

The Youth Tobacco Survey, administered by the NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, is the definitive study of tobacco use among high school and middle school students in the state.

The study showed that since 2003, high school smoking rates have dropped from 27.3 percent to 19 percent in 2007. Middle school rates decreased from 9.3 percent in 2003 to 4.5 percent in 2007.

Since 2003, the report estimated, 34,000 fewer teens are smoking.

More than 7,500 middle and high school students from 191 schools and 74 school districts (plus one charter school) participated in the survey.