Optimal Urinary Cotinine and Total Nicotine Equivalents Cut-Points for Distinguishing Tobacco Users from Non-Users Among American Youth

This study addresses challenges associated with assessing and validating self-report tobacco use among youth by identifying a potentially better way of dealing with the limitations of self-report measures for accurately capturing tobacco use behaviors, particularly among adolescents. Use of biomarkers such as cotinine and TNE-2 provides a valuable alternative approach for determining tobacco use status among youth. Incorporation of biomarker data into tobacco control efforts can improve the accuracy of tobacco use assessment, enhance understanding of youth tobacco behaviors, and ultimately contribute to reduction of tobacco use and associated health risks among this vulnerable population.