Abstract

Smoking is a health as well as socioeconomic problem. It is considered to be the main cause of many diseases that often could be prevented. People usually start smoking during adolescence period, but that age is nowadays lower, especially among young women. The aim of this research is to find out the level of information of secondary school leavers about the impact of smoking on men’s health, to affirm spread of smoking among young people, reasons for smoking as well as parents’ influence on smoking, to affirm number of young people who decided to quit smoking and, finally, to find out what could influence the reduction of smoking. The anonymous survey was carried out. Results: 88% respondents know about the impact of smoking on men’s health. 19% respondents are smokers. 35% respondents think that the main reason for start smoking is curiosity, and 27% think that the reason is imitation of older. The parents of the smokers are fathers – 39% and mothers 66%. 56% of the smokers want to quit smoking. 36% respondents think that health education would influence the reduction of smoking. Young people are opened to many problems. Cigarettes are promoted in media, tobacco factories are sponsors of cultural and sports events, tobacco is sold everywhere and, therefore, available to each child. If we want to reduce smoking, especially among young people, the law should regulate everything mentioned. The role of the experts in prevention of public health should be more preventive than therapeutic.

Key words: smoking, secondary school leavers, prevention