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Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products is a significant problem among students of medical institutions. We conducted an anonymous questionnaire in which participants answered questions assessing tobacco consumption, craving, and addiction. The survey using a Google form consisted of two parts: a socio-demographic questionnaire (gender, age, specialty, current year of study) and the type of tobacco smoking (consumption, experience, craving for tobacco, and addiction). Totally 442 students fully answered the questionnaire. According to the results of the survey, three quarters of the survey participants were female students (75.79%), (99%) of them were under the age of 30. Although the number of smokers in our study was not alarmingly high, a number of smoking discontinuation measures should be implemented to prevent the harmful effects of smoking on students.
Medical students who intend to quit smoking should be encouraged. Medical schools should offer smoking cessation programs. In addition, tobacco control programs and prevention strategies should be student-centered. It is also necessary to provide information on the health effects of alternative tobacco products and to support consumers in quitting smoking. Currently, none of the medical schools that participated in our study offers a separate smoking cessation program for students. Smoking status and nicotine addiction are predictors of health deterioration for medical students. A clear and comprehensive tobacco stopping policy is an important tool for creating an environment conducive to quitting smoking and seeking support to quit smoking.
The conducted research confirms the evidence of the harmful effects of smoking on students studying medical
disciplines. A long-term cohort study is needed to determine whether smoking has a causal effect on students’ academic success, long-term professional success, and potential academic achievements compared to a non-smoking group. Although significant progress has been made worldwide in emphasizing the effects of tobacco smoking on human health in higher education institutions, more intensive efforts are needed to implement and integrate educational courses on the risks of tobacco smoking into medical disciplines and educational processes as an ongoing parts of medical curricula