In conversation: High school students talk to students about tobacco use and prevention strategies

The purpose of this multi-site qualitative study is to explore how adolescents talk about tobacco use. Sixty-six students in four high schools became co-researchers and led focus group intervieivs with 205fellow students. From the intervieivs, the authors develop a story line that reports how adolescents begin smoking, how smoking becomes a pervasive influence, how attitudes form about smoking, what it means to be a smoker, and, ultimately, student suggest ions for tobacco use prevention. Embedded within this story line are complex questions and contradictions. We explore lohether peers really are influential, if the media is important, whether smoking is a matter of personal choice, if schools actually promote tobacco use, and whether adolescents can quit smoking.