A new survey finds smoking among college students is on the rise

WASHINGTON (CNN)-- The percentage of college students who smoke is quickly rising in all demographic groups, according to a study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Tuesday.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health surveyed about 15,000 college students at 116 college campuses in 39 states between 1993 and 1997. They found smoking had increased 28 percent and that a quarter of smokers in the latest survey had began smoking regularly while in college.

"About 11 percent started smoking in college and another 25 percent started smoking regularly while they were in college," said lead researcher Henry Wechler.

The study also said half of all college smokers tried to quit in the previous year, compared to only 30 percent of adult smokers.

"We found that seniors and fifth-year students smoked less than younger students," Wechler said. "...this is still a period of time during which students are changing their smoking behavior."

Although the increase in smoking applies to all races and both sexes and all types of schools, some demographics had lower smoking increases than others.

Commuter schools and highly competitive schools had a lower smoking prevalance. Asian, African-American and Hispanic students had lower rates than whites. The study also found that older students were less likely to smoke than younger students.

Wechler said part of the reason for the increase of college smokers may be attributed to the all-time high number of smokers in high school.

Cigarette use among high school students jumped 32 percent between 1991 and 1997. Now many of those students are in college.

Wechler said college students, who have traditionally been considered more "resistant" to the lure of cigarettes because of increased access to information and education, are no longer immune.

He said the rate increase should be a "wake-up call about the problems of smoking at all levels of society" and warns of the public health consequences.

Researchers pointed out that intervention is essential. For example, smoking cessation programs to teach how and why to quit and also programs to prevent the transition from casual smoking to daily nicotine-dependent smoking .

"A lot of kids in high school are not daily smokers," said Bill Novelli of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "They are sort of social smokers and then they get to college and you see more smoking there than you did before."

The study calls for expanding smoke-free areas on college campuses, especially in dormitories.

The study also recommends limiting visibility and accessibility for cigarettes and increasing cigarette prices to deter college smoking.