Abstract

The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of smoking among Elazığ Police School students. In this study 324 of 328 students who were enrolled in April 2000, were reached. Questionnaires were filled by students after offer obtaining informed consents. Average of age was 25.19. All of them were male and 13.6% of them were married. 48.5 of their fathers and 4.9% of their mothers were current smokers. Of the 324 students, 62.3% were daily smoker and 4.3% were occasional smokers. A total of 66.6% of the students were current smokers. Average Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependency score of smoker students was 2.1±1.97. 26.9% of the smokers considered fairly much and 47.7% of them had given very little consideration to the thought. 98.2% of total study population agreed on the hazardous health effects of smoking. This study shows that the prevalence of smoking was high among Zülfü Ağar Police school students. For this reason, relationship of cigarette and health should be in the education programs. Also in quitting smoking cigarette campaigns can give some help in regression of the cigarette epidemic and the struggle with cigarette.