Teens living in towns with indoor-smoking bans were 40 percent less likely to become regular smokers than those living in communities that allow smokers to light up in restaurants and bars, according to researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health.

The Associated Press reported May 5 that researcher Michael Siegel and colleagues studied 2,791 children living in Massachusetts and concluded that local smoking bans discouraged the 12- to 17-year-olds from becoming smokers. Younger teens were found to be more influenced by the bans than older youths.

"When kids grow up in an environment where they don't see smoking, they are going to think it's not socially acceptable," Siegel said. "If they perceive a lot of other people are smoking, they think it's the norm."

Overall, about 9 percent of the youths in the study became smokers. But the rate was 10 percent in communities lacking indoor-smoking bans, compared to 8 percent in communities with bans. The influence of community indoor-smoking bans was found to be more significant than having a parent or close friend who smokes.

"There is really no other smoking intervention program that could cut almost in half the rate of smoking,'' Siegel said.

Since the study was conducted, Massachusetts has passed a statewide indoor-smoking ban.

The study was published in the May 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.