Adolescents who get educated about the methods and motivations of advertisers are less likely to smoke than their less-savvy peers, Medical News Today reported Oct. 11.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that teens with above-average smoking media literacy were about half as likely to smoke as their peers. "Many factors that influence a teen's decision to smoke -- like peer influence, parental smoking and risk-seeking tendency -- are difficult to change," said study lead author, Brian Primack, M.D. "However, media literacy, which can be taught, may be a valuable tool in efforts to discourage teens from smoking."

Primack and colleagues said that even small increases in media literacy could have dramatic effects on smoking behavior.

The research was published in the October 2006 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.