Chapter 4 
SURVEY FINDINGS The percentage distribution of tar yield of the usual brand of 
cigarettes smoked among current smokers by sex and age is 
Use of Low-Tar shown in Figure 3. Female smokers were more likely to smoke 
or Light Cigarettes lower tar yield brands than men. Smokers 18 to 24 years of age 
were less likely to use the lower tar brands than smokers ages 25 to 44 or 45 
to 64. These patterns were similar to those found by the AUTS for both 
current and former smokers. 
With regard to race and ethnicity (Figure 4), white Americans who 
smoked in 1987 were more likely to smoke lower tar and nicotine 
cigarettes (76.8 percent) than Hispanics (67.8 percent) or black Americans 
(52.4 percent). Education is a strong correlate of smoking cigarette brands 
with 15 mg or less tar (Figure 4). Beginning with persons who have 
completed 9 to 1 1 years of education, as education increased, smokers 
were more likely to smoke low-tar brands. 
In the 1993 TAPS, adolescents and young adults who smoked and 
usually bought their own cigarettes were asked what brands they smoked. 
Furthermore, they were asked, "Is the brand you smoke regular, light, or 
Figure 3 
Prevalence (by percent) of current smokers' use of cigarette brands^ with 5 mg tar, 
by sex and age: Ages 18 and older, United States, 1987 
■ s6 mg tar □ 7-1 5 mg tar 
c 
0 ) 
o 
0 > 
Q. 
80- 
60- 
40- 
20 - 
Male Female 
Sex 
1 8-24 25-44 45-64 
Age (years) 
65-f 
78.8 
® Self-reported usual brand. 
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 1987. 
43 
