Purpose: To assess a smoking rate survey using the coming-of-age ceremony to examine the practicality for estimating the under twenties' smoking rate as a baseline and a long term assessment index for action plans to prevent smoking in the young.
Methods: We undertook the survey at village A (with a population of about 6,500) and town B (with about 12,000 residents) in Niigata Prefecture. Village A started a comprehensive anti-smoking policy featuring cooperation between schools and the community. Subjects were twenty-year young adults (69 in village A and 118 in town B) who attended rural coming-of-age ceremonies in 2002. The self-rated questionnaire included smoking habits, age of first smoking experience, and age of becoming a regular smoker (only in village A).
Results: Smoking rates were 68.0% for men and 48.6% for women in village A. Of these, approximately 90% smoked daily and more than 70% became regular smokers before the age of 20. Smoking rates in town B were similar. The results were about 20% higher than found by a smoking rate survey performed at high schools.
Conclusion: Smoking rate surveys at coming-of-age ceremonies offer a practical and easy approach to estimate under twenties' smoking rate and assess the effects of smoking prevention strategies among the young.