As it is known more easier are enrolled in smoking children or students. But according to a recent study, fewer students are lighting up. Departments of Health and Education showed in a study that 4.2 percent of middle school students surveyed last year smoke, compared with 12.9 percent in 2000, a drop of more than two-thirds. In another study they showed that among high school students, 9.7 percent of those surveyed in 2007 smoke, compared with 24.5 percent in 2000.

The youth tobacco survey was conducted among public school students in grades six to 12. A control group of 1,172 students from 27 schools participated in the middle school survey, and 1,211 students from 27 schools participated in the high school survey. Health officials remain concerned that students are able to get cigarettes from the Internet. The survey showed 7 percent of middle school students reported obtaining cigarettes from the Internet, compared with 2.7 percent of middle school students in 2000.

Among high school students, 2.7 percent reported obtaining cigarettes from the Internet, compared with 0.7 percent of high school students in 2000. Dr. Morgan Barrett, deputy director of health resources, found that from 2005 to 2007, the smokeless tobacco usage rate increased slightly to 2.4 percent from 1.8 percent among middle school students. The rate increased to 3.7 percent from 2.1 percent among high school students, Barrett added.

Even though, fewer students lighting up, smoking and tobacco continue to be the leading cause of preventable illness, not only in Hawaii, but in the nation and increasingly throughout the world.