Studies show a dramatic increase in smoking between puberty and young adulthood. The early onset of smoking is one of the most important predictors for later smoking and correlates with heavier smoking. There is also positive correlation between daily smoking and the experimentation with other psychoactive substances. Recent research shows that first symptoms of tobacco dependence can occur within a few weeks of occasion occasional smoking. Many young smokers believe it is possible to stop smoking without help and overestimate the percentage of adolescents who succeed in quitting. Studies show that young smokers often fail to stop smoking. Recommendations to reduce smoking prevalence among pupils are listed below:
- primary prevention measures related to smoking should begin before the majority of young people start to experiment with smoking,
- a first goal should be the delay or prevention of smoking initiation,
- a second goal should be the prevention of the transmission from experimental to regular smoking.
The Smokefree Class Competition (SFCC) was launched in Rotherham in 2008 and is different fromtraditional approaches, because instead of using fear arousal strategies to hinder pupils from smoking, the desired non-smoking behaviour is reinforced; non smokers are rewarded if they stay smokefree. This approach focuses on the learning theory for positive reinforcement and enhances the probability for young people to produce a desired behaviour, in this case to remain smoke free. Therefore non smoking becomes a popular and worthwhile behaviour, and social norms within the peer groups are influenced in a way that non smokingis regarded as moreprevalent in classes than smoking. |
