Self-reported history of intensity of smoking is associated with risk factors for suicide among high school students.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between current cigarette smoking patterns and three established risk factors for suicide using nationally representative data of high school students in the United States.

METHODS

We analyzed cross-sectional data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS)-United States, 2017. Multivariable, logistic regressions examined the association between 3 cigarette smoking behaviors [i.e., past 30-day cigarette (n = 13,731), frequent (n = 1,093) and heavy (n = 880) smoking] and 3 risk factors for suicidal outcomes [feeling sad or hopeless, suicidal ideation, suicide plan] assessed over the previous year.

RESULTS

Among high school cigarette smokers, smoking 11 or more cigarettes per day (i.e., heavy smoking) was associated with 3.43 (95% CI: 1.69, 6.94) greater odds of reporting feeling sad or hopeless, 2.97 (95% CI: 1.60, 5.51) greater odds of reporting suicidal ideations, and 2.11 (95% CI: 1.34, 3.32) greater odds of reporting having ever planned a suicide attempt, controlling for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that it is not simply cigarette smoking, but heavy cigarette smoking that is a risk factor for suicidal outcomes among adolescents.

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

A comprehensive plan is needed to accommodate heavy adolescent smokers who are at increased suicidal risk.