A review of research on the effects of religion on adolescent tobacco use published between 1990 and 2003.

An electronic search of Medline and PsycInfo produced 29 studies that specifically investigated the effects of religion on adolescent tobacco use. Independent (religion) and dependent (tobacco use) variables and variables controlled for in statistical analyses were categorized. Twenty-two of the 29 studies reported at least one significant effect of religion on tobacco use, with 31 of 43 separate analyses of religious variables yielding significant negative correlations between religion and tobacco use. Religion was inversely related to all measures of tobacco use (lifetime, occasional, and regular use), but the findings suggest religion's primary effect is its prohibitive influence against ever using tobacco.