Smoking prevalence among high school and university students

POKORNÁ, L. Prevalence of smoking among high school and university students. Hradec Králové 2010. Diploma thesis. Charles University in Prague. Faculty of Pharmacy. Department of Biological and Medical Sciences. Thesis advisor: RNDr. H. Klusoňová. Ph. D. Keywords: smoking, nicotine, prevalence, addiction, treatment According to World Health Organization more than 5 million people die every year due to the consequences of smoking. It is estimated that the tobacco epidemic will have as many as 1 billion victims in the 21st century. The aim of the thesis is to chart the prevalence of smoking among high school and university students and to determine the level of addiction among smoking students and the age of their first smoking experience. The research examination was made by using a questionnaire. The results prove the fact that the prevalence of smoking among young people is growing. The risk age of the beginning of the addiction is at the age between 14 and 15. Despite the fact that most respondents are convinced that their chance to get rid of the nicotine addiction is big, only a few of them stopped smoking. The finding that the respondents that stopped smoking and then relapsed did not seek medical advice is alarming as well. Nicotine addiction has a demonstrably negative effects on human..