Abstract

The majority of smokers begin tobacco use before they reach adulthood. Thus one of the keys to a smoke-free society is to prevent youth from ever starting smoking. Before a conference on youth smoking that was organized by City Health Directorate in Edirne, 110 students from 12 high schools that randomly selected by their teachers were given a questionnaire that was adapted from the IUATLD/WHO questionnaire. 102 questionnaires returned and of 101 could be evaluated. Mean age of responders was 16.7±1.2 years and 54 of them were male and 47 were female. Prevalence of ever smoking was 75% overall (82% among boys and 76% among girls). The mean age of first smoking was 13±3.4 years. Lifetime smoking (total 100 cigarettes lifetime) prevalence was 38% (male/female: 48/27%). Smoking prevalence in the last six months was 55% (male/female: 66/41%). Frequent smoking (at least one cigarette every day) prevalence was 35% (male/female: 43/25%). Twenty seven percent of current smokers were smoking their first cigarettes on the first 1/2 hour after they woke up in the morning. According to response to questions for access to cigarettes, 84% of responders reported no difficulty with buying; 19% reported that they could buy only one cigarette from an open pack and 42% reported duty free or smuggled or cheaper from sold under governmental control cigarettes. Amongst the students stated their preferred brand, 24/44 (54.5%) reported Winston and Marlboro brand. These results suggest that smoking prevalence and nicotine addiction may be high among the high school children in Edirne and youth access to cigarettes is easy. Probable tobacco advertising was suggested because of only two brands’s having the majority of the market. Taking measures to control tobacco use in adolescent and schoolchildren is a public health emergency.