Teens who visit stores with cigarette advertising at least twice a week are significantly more likely to start smoking, according to the study, “A Longitudinal Study of Exposure to Retail Cigarette Advertising and Smoking Initiation,” published in the August print issue of Pediatrics (published online July 19). Researchers studied 1,681 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years who had never smoked.

The study authors focused on how often teens visited convenience, liquor and small grocery stores. These types of stores near schools were then assessed for the quantity of cigarette ads and pack displays. Overall, 18 percent of adolescents in the study started smoking. But among teens who visited the stores with the greatest amount of cigarette advertising at least twice a week, the rate of smoking initiation was 29 percent. Of teens who visited such stores less than twice per month, only 9 percent began smoking. The authors noted that unless retail promotion of tobacco products is addressed, the declines recently seen in smoking initiation are likely to end.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.