Tobacco Smoking Behaviors Of Baccalaureate Students, Thailand

Abstract

The smoking behaviors of youths and young adults have changed worldwide. This
study aims to explore the tobacco smoking behaviors of a university students which includes
the type, duration, amount, frequency, reason, addiction level, and family history of smoking.
Descriptive cross-sectional study was used with the university students in Thailand. Proportional
Random Sampling technique was used to recruit 440 participants from 10 faculties. Results
revealed that 33% of participants were currently tobacco smokers. The types of tobacco
smoking use among university students that were included in the study consisted of tobacco
cigarettes (11.1%), electronic cigarettes (1.4%), water-pipes (0.9%), more than one type of
tobacco smoking (20.7%), second hand smoking (61.8%), and never smoked and only exposed
to second hand smoking (4.1%). The common duration of tobacco smoking among university
students was less than 6 months. They usually smoke less than 3 rolls of cigarette per day. The
main reason for smoking were to promote relaxation, to socialize with friends, and preference
for tobacco products’ smell and taste. The key inducement in all types of tobacco smoking
among this group was friends. Most traditional tobacco cigarette smokers reported that they
were addicted to smoking but other participants who smoked other kinds of tobacco smoking
rejected tobacco addiction. Moreover, most of the participants have no other tobacco smokers
in their family. Strengthening campus tobacco free policies and effective smoking cessation
programs for university students are crucial.