Cigarette Brand Preference and Pro-Tobacco Advertising Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2012–2016

Nearly all adult smokers first try cigarettes before age 18 years (1), and adolescents can show symptoms of nicotine dependence within days to weeks of the onset of occasional cigarette smoking (2). Having a usual cigarette brand among adolescent smokers could reflect exposure and receptivity to pro-tobacco advertising and tobacco product appeal (1). To identify usual cigarette brands smoked among U.S. middle and high school students who were current (past 30-day) cigarette smokers, CDC analyzed data from the 2012-2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). Marlboro, Newport, and Camel were the most commonly reported brands smoked during 2012-2016; in 2016, these three were the brands usually smoked for 73.1% and 78.7% of current cigarette smokers in middle and high school, respectively. These three brands also were the three most commonly identified as having a "favorite cigarette ad" in 2012. Efforts to reduce youth exposure to pro-tobacco advertising could help reduce youth smoking (1,3).