Bidis, tiny flavored cigarettes from India, are luring a new generation of young smokers to tobacco and raising alarms among public health officials and anti-smoking groups.

In a new study scheduled to be published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Massachusetts state public health researchers will report high rates of bidi use among urban youth there, a pattern of use that experts say likely reflects use elsewhere also. While the study's results are embargoed until publication, Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh said the findings point to a serious new threat to anti-smoking efforts among youth in grades seven to 12. "The study found that the prevalence of bidi use was disturbingly high," Koh said. "This is catching hold."

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