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Coskun Bakar¹, Isil Irem Budakoglu¹, Sule Akcay², Ozgur Erdem, MD³, Asli Gorek², and Seval Akgun¹. (1) Public Health, Baskent University, 12. sokak no:7/8 Bahcelievler Cankaya, Ankara, 06490, Turkey, 9003122120434, iremb@baskent.edu.tr, (2) Chest Diseases, Baskent University, Maresal Fevzi Cakmak Caddesi No:72/4, Bahcelievler Cankaya, Ankara, 06490, Turkey, (3) Public Health Department, Baskent University School of Medicine, 12.street 7/8, bahcelievler, Ankara, 06490, Turkey

The aim of this study is to determine the Baskent University smoking students' knowledge and opinions about harms of smoking and related legislations in Ankara, Turkey. A descriptive study was carried out with an enrollment of 1259 students who were smoking. We obtained minimum sample size of 1140 students for a population size of 6144 students. Study data were collected with a questionnaire and applied to students under observation. The mean age and median monthly income of students were 20.5±2.2 years and 400 (10-1000) YTL, respectively. Of the study group, 55.0% was female and 95.4% were smoking foreign-labeled cigarette. The first reasons to begin smoking and time to need to smoke were determined as “curiosity and emulation” (27.8%) and “anytime” (51.8%) respectively. Of the students 95.7% of them were thinking that smoking had been harmful, while 91.9% of them knew that smoking had been causing lung cancer, 76.3% oral cavity cancer, 88.7% larynx cancer, 87.7% heart vein disease, 69.4% chronic bronchitis, and 77.8% brain vein disease. The students who knew the definition of “passive smoking” had a percentage of 85.9. Of the students, 59.7% was emphasized the warning about the harms of the smoking on cigarette packages were needful, 65.7% was emphasized prohibiting advertising of cigarette, 70.7% was revealed prohibiting smoking in crowd places, and 80.6% was revealed not to sell cigarettes under 18 years old. The results of this study indicate the educational and informational activities towards smoking cessation may be needful and successful.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Describe the smoking characteristics of university students in a developing country
• 2.Assess the students’ knowledge about the health results of tobacco use
• 3.Discuss the students’ opinions towards smoking legislations in a developing country

Keywords: Tobacco Legislation, Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered