Background:

Cigarette smoking is considered the most important preventable public health problem in developed countries, especially among adolescents.

Aim:

To determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking and associated factors in high school adolescents, from a Colombian city.

Material and Methods:

The self-administered global tobacco youth survey (GTYS) was answered by 831 teenagers aged 14 ± 2 years (54% females). For data analysis, proportions were calculated; for associations, binary and multivariable logistic regression was applied.

Results:

Fourteen percent of respondents declared that they had consumed at least one cigarette during the last 30 days. The life-time prevalence of tobacco use was 27.1%. Being older than thirteen years old, father’s academic level and having a smoker mother were factors associated with smoking.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of smoking in these adolescents was high. Age over 13 years and a smoking mother were associated with the cigarette smoking.