Do sex and ethnic differences in smoking initiation mask similarities in cessation behavior? A lll erical1jol/mal oj PI/blic Health

cer control and cancer epidemiology supplements) constituted the study population. Elapsed time from smoking initiation to cessation was compared via nonparametric tests and survival analysis techniques. Results. Findings showed that success in quitting was independent of ethnic status and sex and that population differences in smoking initiation age (assuming no differ-ences in quitting behavior) could produce statistical associations between sex/ethnic-ity and smoking cessation. Conclusions. Population differences in smoking initiation patterns can mask similar