Table 4.
Mean Age of Smoking Initiation Among U.S. Youths Aged 12 to 17 Who Have Ever Smoked Cigarettes, by Race and Ethnicity, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 1999–2001
| Race and Ethnicity | Total, y (95% Confidence Interval) | Boys, y (95% Confidence Interval) | Girls, y (95% Confidence Interval) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overalla | 12.3 (12.3-12.3) | 12.1 (12.1-12.2) | 12.5 (12.4-12.5) |
|
| |||
| Non-Hispanica | 12.3 (12.2-12.3) | 12.1 (12.1-12.2) | 12.4 (12.4-12.5) |
|
| |||
| White | 12.3 (12.2-12.3) | 12.1 (12.0-12.1) | 12.4 (12.4-12.5) |
| Black or African American | 12.4 (12.3-12.5) | 12.2 (12.0-12.4) | 12.7 (12.5-12.8) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 11.5 (11.2-11.9) | 11.4 (10.9-11.9) | 11.7 (11.2-12.2) |
| Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 11.8 (10.8-12.7) | 11.8 (10.0-13.5) | 11.8 (11.1-12.5) |
| Asiana | 12.8 (12.4-13.2) | 12.8 (12.4-13.2) | 12.8 (12.1-13.5) |
| Chinese | 12.7 (11.9-13.4) | 11.6 (10.3-13.0) | 13.5 (12.6-14.5) |
| Filipino | 12.7 (12.4-13.1) | 12.6 (12.0-13.1) | 12.9 (12.3-13.5) |
| Japanese | 13.2 (12.2-14.2) | 12.5 (10.9-14.2) | 13.8 (12.8-14.8) |
| Asian Indian | 13.1 (12.5-13.8) | 12.9 (12.0-13.7) | 13.8 (13.1-14.4) |
| Korean | 13.0 (12.3-13.6) | 13.5 (12.5-14.4) | 12.3 (11.6-13.0) |
| Vietnamese | 12.1 (10.2-14.0) | 13.3 (12.1-14.5) | 10.8 (7.7-13.9) |
|
| |||
| Hispanica | 12.5 (12.4-12.6) | 12.3 (12.2-12.5) | 12.6 (12.4-12.8) |
|
| |||
| Mexican | 12.4 (12.3-12.5) | 12.3 (12.1-12.4) | 12.6 (12.4-12.8) |
| Puerto Rican | 12.4 (12.1-12.7) | 12.6 (12.2-13.0) | 12.2 (11.8-12.6) |
| Central or South American | 12.7 (12.4-13.0) | 12.8 (12.3-13.2) | 12.7 (12.3-13.1) |
| Cuban | 12.5 (11.9-13.0) | 12.6 (12.1-13.1) | 12.3 (11.3-13.3) |
a
Totals include data from respondents reporting racial and ethnic subgroups not shown as well as respondents reporting more than one subgroup. Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (11).