Cigarette smoking is one of the leading public health problems of the world due to the stark fact that 2,500,000 people die prematurely every year due to smoking. During the last decade, many countries of the world have initiated intensive efforts to decrease the number of smokers, however, yet smoking remains a growing problem in Turkey, especially when compared to the developed world. In Turkey those have been conducted indicate that the average beginning for smokers is 11 years of age. The purpose of this study was to determine the severity of smoking habits of the Turkish university students, one of the major risk groups and to develop possible intervention strategies and suggest policies to deal with smoking problem. The study was conducted on a representative sample of Baskent University students (n=1024) and was focused on the reasons given by the students for their smoking, and the students' knowledge of the negative impacts of smoking. The results of the study showed that 59.1% of the students were smokers; 39.4% of the smokers had started to smoke when they were between 15 and 18 years old, the majority of the smokers were females (54.5%) compared to males (45.5%). The results of the study suggest that the Student Advising and Guidance Units of the Turkish Universities should offer consulting services about how cigarette smoking changes the performance of the students and, how it has an impact on their health and the economy of the country.
Learning Objectives: The severity of smoking habits of the Turkish university students and to suggest policies to deal with smoking
Keywords: Youth, Smoking
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.