A new study, co-written by faculty and a former doctoral student at the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health estimated the susceptibility to smoking among never-smoking youth on a global-scale and found that one in eight never-smoking youth worldwide is susceptible to smoking. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and worldwide. If current trends continue, it is forecast that annual tobacco-related mortality worldwide will surpass eight million deaths by 2030. Studies have been conducted to understand cigarette smoking behavior and its deleterious health effects; however, limited research has been conducted on early phases of cigarette smoking behavior, especially in low- and middle-income countries. “Our goal was to estimate the risk of smoking initiation among never-smoking youth worldwide, and the findings are quite staggering,” says Dr. Hadii Mamudu, co-author of the study and an assistant professor in the department of health services management and policy. The study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in September 2013.