National Initiation Data

Smoking Prevalence among Adolescents

National Estimates

One in five (20%) of high school youth and approximately one in twenty (6%) of middle school youth are current cigarette smokers. (For more information see CDC's Youth and Tobacco Use Fact Sheets)
State-Specific Estimates (Underage Youth: 12 to 17 years old)

According to results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the District of Columbia and Utah reported the lowest prevalence rates for cigarette use (7%) and Kentucky reported the highest prevalence rate (19%) in the United States among underage youth.

For more information on other States, please see,

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k4State/AppB.htm#TabB.13 (tobacco)
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k4State/AppB.htm#TabB.14 (cigarette)