Student Understanding and Use of Tobacco in Box Elder Senior and Junior High Schools

Student. understanding and use of tobacco was studied under the following specific areas: specific knowledge as it relates to smoking and health; student opinions and attitudes toward smoking; smoking experience; and the influence of certain factors on smoking status. About 1155 students were sampled with the use of a questionnaire. It was found that there was no significant difference in the scores of boys and girls. The senior high students were better informed than the ninth grade or junior high students. The majority (81 percent) of all students surveyed were of the opinion that the pleasure derived from smoking was not worth the price a person has to pay in terms of health and expense. Five percent of the students indicated that their mothers smoked, and 69 percent indicated that their parents did not approve of their smoking. There were 6 percent of the students who smoked regularly (at least once a week) with another 34 percent smoking occasionally. The ninth grade percentage wise, smoke heavier (one-half pack or more daily) than any of the other groups