Research on the use of tobacco in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County on a population level has been done primarily through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS). These survey systems are products of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Local agencies have enhanced these surveys by including additional questions to answer specific questions on tobacco use, including the use of snuff, chewing tobacco, little cigars (bidis, sweets, cigarillos) and larger cigars, especially among youth. This research started in 2002 and continues today.

The Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (PRCHN) at Case Western Reserve University posts all of these reports at their website, http://prchn.org/reports/

Below are the sites where the most recent reports can be found.

Adult data

At the county level, enhanced BRFSS included additional questions on tobacco products. See this report for long term trends

http://prchn.org/storage/Tobacco%20Use%20in%20Cuyahoga%20County%20-%205%20Year%20Trends%202003-2007.pdf

The best report for tobacco use among Cleveland residents was funded by the Steps To A Healthier Cleveland campaign, at

http://prchn.org/storage/Cleveland%20Steps%20BRFSS%20Data%20Brief%20-%20Tobacco%20Use%202005-2006.pdf

Youth data

1) Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, high school level (2009)

For Cuyahoga County, see:

http://prchn.org/storage/2009%20CFHS%20YRBS%20Report.pdf

For Cleveland schools, see:

http://prchn.org/storage/2009%20Steps%20to%20a%20Healthier%20Cleveland%20YRBS%20Report.pdf

2) Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, middle school level (2009)

There are middle school reports (2008) to be found in the YRBS section of the PRCHN reports page:

For Cuyahoga County, see:

http://prchn.org/storage/2008%20Cuyahoga%20County%20Middle%20School%20YRBS%20Report.pdf

For Cleveland schools, see:

http://prchn.org/storage/2008%20Cleveland%20Metropolitan%20School%20District%20Grades%207-8%20YRBS%20Report.pdf