Electronic cigarettes and tobacco and cannabis smoking aspects in the prie-schools’ population of 7th – 10th grade pupils’ in Radviliskis city

According to WHO, there is a growing number of young smokers in the world. Nowadays a lot of attention is paid to the smoking of the electronic, tobacco cigarettes and cannabis. A major challenge for educational communities is to motivate students to give up these harmful habits. Despite a number of studies on the use of tobacco cigarettes and cannabis and their effects on health, researchers are still conducting intensive research into electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), but so far public attitudes to these types of smoking have differed. Goal of the research: theoretically analyze and empirically reveal the aspects of smoking the electronic and tobacco cigarettes and cannabis of 7th - 10th grade students in Radviliškis city schools. Methodology of the research: A quantitative study was performed. There was used an anonymous questioning among 437 7th – 10th grade students. There were analyzed 402 questionnaires for further analysis. SPSS, and Microsoft Excel 2011 software were used for statistical analyze of data. The research was conducted in accordance with ethical principles. Results: survey shows 25% of students are smoking e-cigarettes, 12% tobacco cigarettes and 7% cannabis. The highest prevalence of e-cigarette smoking was among students in grades 9-10 (38%). More than 50 % of respondents indicated that they tried electronic and tobacco cigarettes for the first time at the age of 11-14 and smoke them 5 or more times a day (except for cannabis - 1 time a day). 62,4%. respondents receive information about e-cigarettes from the internet. Most respondents rated electronic and tobacco cigarettes and cannabis negatively. Half of students believe that e-cigarettes can help them quit smoking of tobacco cigarettes, the smoking of tobacco cigarettes can encourage them to smoke e-cigarettes, meanwhile smoking of cannabis can encourage them to try other psychoactive substances. More than a third of respondents believe that parents and friends who smoke have an impact on students' smoking. Most respondents indicated that they do not intend to choose any of these types of smoking in the future. Conclusions: More than a one third of respondents have tried electronic cigarettes, a little bit less tobacco cigarettes and cannabis. More than a third of respondents believe that parents and friends who smoke can encourage students to start smoking. Almost all respondents have knowledge of the health effects of these types of smoking. Most students rated e-cigarettes and cannabis smoking negatively