Is Cigarette Smoking Associated With Suicidal Ideation Among Young People?

Objective: The authors examined the association between suicidal ideation in early adulthood and daily tobacco smoking in a community sample of adolescents. Method: Participants were enrolled in a longitudinal study of health and development. The factors of disadvantage, impulsiveness, stress, depressed mood, tobacco smoking, other substance use, and parental attachment were included in multi- variate modelling of suicidal ideation. Results: Data on tobacco use were available for 764 participants. Early tobacco smoking was significantly predictive of later suicidal ideation, but there was no longer a significant relationship when high levels of stress and depression and low levels of parental attachment in adolescence were included in the multivariate model. Conclusions: Tobacco smoking in adolescence does not appear to elevate the risk of later suicidal ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]