Addictive Behaviors, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 303–324, 1998 Copyright © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in the USA. All rights reserved 0306-4603/98 $19.00 + .00 PII S0306-4603(97)00074-9 303 Pergamon STAGES OF ACQUISITION AND CESSATION FOR ADOLESCENT SMOKING: AN EMPIRICAL INTEGRATION UNTO E. PALLONEN, JAMES O. PROCHASKA, WAYNE F. VELICER, ALEXANDER V. PROKHOROV, and NELSON F. SMITH University of Rhode Island Abstract — Adolescent cigarette smoking acquisition and cessation were integrated into a single nine-stages-of-change continuum using the transtheoretical model of change frame- work. Findings in a high school student sample (n  700) showed that a few of the never smokers were planning to try smoking, and half of the current smokers were contemplating quitting. More than half of former smokers were long-term quitters. The high pros of smoking scores assessing coping benefits of cigarettes were related to smoking acquisition and the high con (disadvantages) scores to long-term abstinence. Never smokers were most tempted to try smoking when they anticipated that smoking would help reduce negative and increase posi- tive mood. Current and former smokers were tempted due to peer cigarette offers and nega- tive mood. These temptations were significantly reduced among ex-smokers. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd Up to a million teenagers become smokers annually (Glynn, Anderson, & Schwarz, 1991), making cigarettes the most frequently used addictive substance on a daily basis by high school students (Johnston, O’Malley, & Bachman, 1995). By the time of high school graduation, 19% of students are daily smokers (Johnston et al., 1995). Although prevalence of cigarette smoking has declined in adults (Giovino, Henningfield, Tomar, Escobedo, & Slade, 1995; National Center for Health Statistics, 1993), recent national surveys indicate the opposite among adolescents (Cummings & Shah, 1995; Johnston et al., 1995). Theoretical thinking (e.g., Leventhal & Cleary, 1980; Petraitis, Flay, & Miller, 1995) and intervention research during the past 2 decades have concentrated almost entirely on the prevention of the onset of adolescent smoking. Longitudinal results from typi- cal classroom-based intervention studies based on social influences, cognitive behav- ioral, and life skills models have been modest at best (Bauman, 1992; Best, Thomson, Santi, Smith, & Brown, 1988; Cleary, Hitchcock, Semmer, Flinchbaugh, & Pinney, 1988; Flay, 1985; Leventhal, Baker, Brandon, & Fleming, 1989; Rundall & Burvold, 1988). However, recent results are more encouraging when school programs have been enhanced by a comprehensive community health education program (Pentz, MacKinnon, Dwyer, et al., 1989; Pentz, MacKinnon, Flay, et al., 1989; Perry, Kelder, Murray, & Klepp, 1992), mass media campaigns (Flynn et al., 1992), individualized messages through the home-based channel (Elder et al., 1993), or by a highly intensive program lasting more than 3 years (Botvin, Baker, Dusenbury, Botvin, & Diaz, 1995). This research was supported by the American Cancer Society (Grants PBP-70 and PBP-70A to James O. Prochaska) and the National Cancer Institute grant P01 CA50087. Our special thanks to Stewart R. Amell, Mary Canole, James H. DeLuca, Edward J. Lemoi (directors of the participating schools), and Rosemarie Hess (school nurse) for their collaboration and to Stephen Burns (Executive Director of the Rhode Island Council on Vocational Education) for his unwavering support. Alexander V. Prokhorov is now at Department of Behavioral Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Requests for reprints should be sent to Unto E. Pallonen, Cancer Prevention Research Center, University of Rhode Island, 2 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881.