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Age Youth First Smoke Cigarettes

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Percent of Students Reporting They First Smoked All or Part of a Cigarette at Age 13 or Younger, All Available Years: by Grade, Gender, and County

20072010
MaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotal
Minnesota6th8%6%7%7%6%7%
9th20%20%20%21%16%15%
12th21%17%19%16%13%15%
All Grades16%14%15%13%11%12%
Aitkin County6th8%8%8%7%10%8%
9th22%20%21%24%26%25%
12th18%23%21%18%32%26%
All Grades16%17%16%16%22%19%
Anoka County6th7%6%7%7%6%7%
9th14%13%13%16%16%16%
12th19%12%15%17%13%15%
All Grades13%10%11%13%12%12%
Becker County6th11%12%11%10%10%10%
9th21%14%17%24%19%22%
12th22%15%19%12%12%12%
All Grades17%14%15%16%14%15%
Beltrami County6th26%21%23%11%11%11%
9th27%27%27%22%29%25%
12th16%25%20%32%33%33%
All Grades24%25%24%21%24%22%
Benton County6th8%8%8%11%4%8%
9th18%17%17%19%19%19%
12th20%15%18%14%21%17%
All Grades15%13%14%14%15%14%
Big Stone County6thN/AN/A2%12%9%10%
9thN/AN/A13%16%18%17%
12thN/AN/A11%29%31%30%
All GradesN/AN/AN/A19%19%19%
Blue Earth County6th4%2%3%6%6%6%
9th15%13%14%16%11%13%
12th16%11%14%14%12%13%
All Grades13%9%11%11%10%11%
Brown County6th11%7%9%2%3%2%
9th13%6%9%27%14%21%
12th35%8%21%15%20%18%
All Grades17%7%12%14%12%13%
Carlton County6th10%11%11%13%10%11%
9th17%15%16%14%20%17%
12th24%16%20%16%11%13%
All Grades16%14%15%14%14%14%
Carver County6th5%2%4%4%2%3%
9th16%7%11%16%9%13%
12th11%6%9%18%7%13%
All Grades11%5%8%12%6%9%
Cass County6th8%18%13%18%13%15%
9th31%37%34%25%30%28%
12th26%28%27%35%32%33%
All Grades22%28%25%25%25%25%
Chippewa County6th13%7%11%N/AN/AN/A
9th18%8%13%N/AN/AN/A
12th15%12%13%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades15%9%12%N/AN/AN/A
Chisago County6th13%6%9%14%8%11%
9th20%21%20%23%12%17%
12th17%25%21%20%19%20%
All Grades17%16%16%19%13%16%
Clay County6th9%10%9%9%4%6%
9th12%13%12%11%14%12%
12th16%8%12%13%14%13%
All Grades12%10%11%11%12%11%
Clearwater County6th7%17%12%11%30%20%
9th28%23%25%32%37%34%
12th21%18%19%24%26%25%
All Grades17%19%18%22%32%27%
Cook County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Cottonwood County6th12%6%9%4%6%5%
9th12%20%16%14%12%13%
12th21%12%16%17%16%17%
All Grades14%13%13%12%11%12%
Crow Wing County6th11%6%8%8%7%8%
9th23%23%23%32%16%23%
12th17%17%17%22%15%18%
All Grades16%15%15%16%11%14%
Dakota County6th4%3%4%6%4%5%
9th12%11%11%13%11%12%
12th13%10%11%12%10%11%
All Grades9%8%8%10%8%9%
Dodge County6th7%9%8%8%1%4%
9th19%23%21%24%19%22%
12th25%7%16%20%22%21%
All Grades16%14%15%17%13%15%
Douglas County6th4%4%4%1%2%1%
9th12%12%12%17%16%16%
12th18%6%12%12%13%12%
All Grades11%8%9%10%10%10%
Faribault County6th16%13%14%N/AN/AN/A
9th22%16%19%N/AN/AN/A
12th15%16%16%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades18%15%17%N/AN/AN/A
Fillmore County6th9%9%9%14%3%8%
9th17%17%17%17%20%18%
12th25%12%18%9%15%12%
All Grades16%13%14%13%12%12%
Freeborn County6th14%3%9%9%11%10%
9th16%17%17%15%23%19%
12th19%12%16%9%10%10%
All Grades16%12%14%11%15%13%
Goodhue County6th8%7%7%8%7%8%
9th14%13%13%9%7%8%
12th16%12%14%14%13%13%
All Grades12%11%11%10%9%9%
Grant County6th17%0%9%N/AN/AN/A
9th27%23%25%N/AN/AN/A
12th15%12%14%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades20%13%16%N/AN/AN/A
Hennepin County6th7%6%7%6%5%5%
9th12%10%11%14%11%12%
12th12%9%10%13%9%11%
All Grades10%8%9%11%8%10%
Houston County6th4%8%6%17%4%10%
9th19%10%14%15%13%14%
12th13%16%15%20%22%21%
All Grades13%11%12%17%14%16%
Hubbard County6th10%12%11%5%8%6%
9th35%31%33%24%33%28%
12th22%23%22%27%23%25%
All Grades23%21%22%19%22%20%
Isanti County6th12%9%11%N/AN/AN/A
9th24%19%22%N/AN/AN/A
12th21%17%19%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades19%15%17%N/AN/AN/A
Itasca County6th12%14%13%13%11%12%
9th21%28%24%19%23%21%
12th24%19%22%23%22%22%
All Grades19%21%20%18%18%18%
Jackson County6th9%7%8%19%0%10%
9th29%17%23%20%14%17%
12th12%10%11%27%11%19%
All Grades17%11%15%22%10%16%
Kanabec County6th11%14%12%18%7%13%
9th19%26%22%22%24%23%
12th28%17%23%28%22%25%
All Grades19%19%19%23%18%20%
Kandiyohi County6th6%9%7%6%2%4%
9th15%14%14%9%14%11%
12th17%11%15%17%14%16%
All Grades12%12%12%10%9%9%
Kittson County6th11%0%6%17%0%7%
9th19%0%12%36%10%24%
12th15%10%12%30%6%20%
All Grades15%4%10%28%4%16%
Koochiching County6thN/AN/AN/A14%10%12%
9thN/AN/AN/A20%13%16%
12thN/AN/AN/A27%33%30%
All GradesN/AN/AN/A19%17%18%
Lac Qui Parle County6th7%6%6%6%6%6%
9th14%18%16%13%13%13%
12th14%14%14%12%15%13%
All Grades12%12%12%10%11%11%
Lake County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Lake of the Woods County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Le Sueur County6th7%4%6%3%5%4%
9th17%16%16%13%11%12%
12th23%12%17%14%19%16%
All Grades15%11%13%9%11%10%
Lincoln County6th6%3%5%4%8%5%
9th14%8%11%14%15%15%
12th12%15%14%22%16%19%
All Grades11%9%10%14%14%14%
Lyon County6th6%6%6%3%14%8%
9th15%12%14%18%9%14%
12th21%10%16%24%16%19%
All Grades15%10%12%14%13%13%
McLeod County6th12%6%9%11%2%6%
9th12%15%13%20%19%20%
12th16%6%11%12%11%12%
All Grades13%10%11%15%11%13%
Mahnomen County6th14%42%28%18%24%21%
9th28%30%29%25%36%31%
12th28%35%31%25%20%23%
All Grades22%36%29%22%27%24%
Marshall County6th11%4%7%7%2%5%
9th15%18%16%20%23%21%
12th22%13%18%23%14%19%
All Grades16%11%14%17%14%15%
Martin County6th11%6%9%10%5%7%
9th17%14%15%24%11%18%
12th17%16%16%15%11%13%
All Grades15%12%14%17%9%13%
Meeker County6th11%3%7%11%5%8%
9th23%14%18%19%14%17%
12th16%15%16%22%19%20%
All Grades17%10%14%17%13%15%
Mille Lacs County6th14%15%15%12%13%13%
9th29%28%28%23%22%23%
12th26%24%25%23%22%23%
All Grades23%23%23%18%19%19%
Morrison County6th9%5%7%13%5%9%
9th28%19%23%17%15%16%
12th26%21%23%21%23%22%
All Grades21%15%18%17%15%16%
Mower County6th9%4%6%11%8%9%
9th21%17%19%15%17%16%
12th28%16%22%17%15%16%
All Grades19%12%16%14%13%14%
Murray County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Nicollet County6th7%11%9%N/AN/A0%
9th20%20%20%N/AN/A16%
12th16%7%11%N/AN/A16%
All Grades14%13%14%N/AN/AN/A
Nobles County6th13%7%10%9%6%8%
9th23%13%17%19%13%16%
12th18%18%18%21%10%16%
All Grades18%12%15%17%10%13%
Norman County6th15%9%13%7%10%9%
9th10%15%12%14%25%18%
12th27%15%21%13%12%12%
All Grades17%13%15%12%15%13%
Olmsted County6th6%5%5%5%4%5%
9th13%9%11%13%10%12%
12th9%9%9%9%9%9%
All Grades9%7%8%9%7%8%
Otter Tail County6th6%5%6%11%9%10%
9th18%13%16%14%22%17%
12th19%12%15%19%17%18%
All Grades14%10%12%14%16%15%
Pennington County6th6%10%8%N/AN/AN/A
9th11%18%15%N/AN/AN/A
12th5%31%19%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades8%20%14%N/AN/AN/A
Pine County6th20%12%16%17%12%14%
9th27%21%24%28%25%27%
12th25%22%24%24%15%20%
All Grades24%18%21%23%18%20%
Pipestone County6th5%6%5%N/AN/AN/A
9th19%14%16%N/AN/AN/A
12th23%14%19%N/AN/AN/A
All Grades16%12%14%N/AN/AN/A
Polk County6th10%6%8%9%5%7%
9th18%20%19%20%21%20%
12th19%9%14%23%19%21%
All Grades16%12%14%18%15%16%
Pope County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Ramsey County6th9%8%9%8%8%8%
9th16%16%16%19%17%18%
12th13%10%12%15%12%14%
All Grades13%12%12%14%12%13%
Red Lake County6th0%4%2%4%18%10%
9th7%9%8%11%27%20%
12th17%16%17%16%7%12%
All Grades8%9%9%9%19%14%
Redwood County6th11%8%10%6%13%9%
9th13%18%15%21%17%19%
12th24%19%22%22%14%19%
All Grades15%15%15%16%15%15%
Renville County6th16%9%13%9%12%11%
9th21%18%19%24%13%19%
12th26%10%17%34%13%23%
All Grades22%12%17%22%13%17%
Rice County6th6%4%5%6%4%5%
9th15%13%14%16%19%17%
12th19%12%15%16%10%13%
All Grades12%9%11%12%11%12%
Rock County6thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
9thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
12thN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Roseau County6th18%9%14%4%2%3%
9th25%28%26%22%19%20%
12th15%16%15%27%25%26%
All Grades19%17%18%18%15%16%
St. Louis County6th9%10%10%10%8%9%
9th21%18%19%20%19%20%
12th17%15%16%21%18%20%
All Grades16%14%15%17%15%16%
Scott County6th6%4%5%5%2%4%
9th12%11%12%15%14%14%
12th16%11%14%15%12%14%
All Grades11%8%10%11%9%10%
Sherburne County6th7%5%6%6%4%5%
9th15%13%14%11%15%13%
12th18%14%16%18%16%17%
All Grades12%10%11%11%11%11%
Sibley County6th11%6%8%10%8%9%
9th15%16%16%22%21%21%
12th13%14%14%8%11%10%
All Grades13%13%13%14%14%14%
Stearns County6th7%5%6%7%7%7%
9th15%12%14%13%14%13%
12th15%12%13%18%14%16%
All Grades12%10%11%12%11%12%
Steele County6th6%5%6%10%7%9%
9th15%13%14%10%14%12%
12th18%11%14%14%9%11%
All Grades12%10%11%11%10%10%
Stevens County6th10%8%9%N/AN/A5%
9th24%7%14%N/AN/A14%
12th14%3%8%N/AN/A23%
All Grades16%6%11%N/AN/AN/A
Swift County6th7%3%5%11%10%10%
9th13%16%15%23%8%16%
12th23%11%17%14%9%11%
All Grades15%11%13%16%9%13%
Todd County6th14%10%12%16%15%16%
9th18%17%17%25%15%20%
12th22%16%19%20%21%20%
All Grades18%15%16%21%17%19%
Traverse County6thN/AN/A6%N/AN/A6%
9thN/AN/A16%N/AN/A24%
12thN/AN/A26%N/AN/A26%
All GradesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Wabasha County6th11%5%8%7%4%5%
9th18%12%15%15%14%14%
12th21%17%19%25%12%19%
All Grades17%11%14%16%10%13%
Wadena County6th10%7%8%11%15%13%
9th28%21%24%22%14%18%
12th29%13%21%25%16%20%
All Grades22%15%18%18%15%17%
Waseca County6th9%7%7%N/AN/A8%
9th13%17%15%N/AN/A16%
12th21%8%14%N/AN/A11%
All Grades14%10%12%N/AN/AN/A
Washington County6th4%3%4%7%3%5%
9th12%10%11%15%11%13%
12th13%10%11%10%9%9%
All Grades10%8%9%11%8%9%
Watonwan County6th18%11%15%9%7%8%
9th15%18%16%25%16%20%
12th26%16%21%29%20%23%
All Grades19%15%17%21%14%17%
Wilkin County6th9%3%6%13%3%8%
9th21%22%21%18%10%14%
12th17%7%12%15%9%12%
All Grades16%11%14%15%7%11%
Winona County6th10%3%6%4%4%4%
9th14%11%13%16%16%16%
12th14%19%17%15%9%12%
All Grades13%11%12%11%10%11%
Wright County6th6%8%7%5%3%4%
9th14%11%13%12%13%12%
12th17%10%14%12%12%12%
All Grades12%10%11%9%9%9%
Yellow Medicine County6th0%9%5%2%24%13%
9th17%11%14%24%26%25%
12th21%10%16%22%12%17%
All Grades14%10%12%17%21%19%

About the Indicator: N/A indicates that the data are unavailable or were not collected.

Data Source: Minnesota Student Survey (MSS)

Description: The MSS is a confidential and anonymous self-administered survey given to students attending Minnesota public, charter and tribal schools. From 1995 to 2010, the survey was administered to students in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. New in 2013, the survey was administered to students in 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades. Trend data are now only available for 9th graders, and only for survey questions that did not change. Most schools elect to participate in the survey; in 2013, this included 84% of public schools in Minnesota.

Although the data are not presented here, the survey is also administered to area learning centers, juvenile correction facilities and private schools electing to participate.

Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Education

Geographic Level: State, Region, and County

Aggregated data at the state and county level do not reveal disparities that may exist within a given geographic area.

Frequency: Data collected and reported every three years

Characteristics: The results of the MSS are also available at a county level. Data Privacy requirements mandate that data is presented in a manner such that no individual student can be identified through the presentation of the results. As part of the Data Privacy practices, the results are also presented in a manner that no individual school district could be identified through the results. Therefore, for counties that have only one school district, the results are not presented. Results are also withheld for counties in which the minimum number for student participation was not met.

The MSS is a “census” of schools, not a sample. The school districts get their own data. Fifth-graders were not asked all substance use questions. Some school districts do not participate, and student participation within the school district can vary widely. These data are self-reported.