Cigarette use frequency and the affecting factors in primary and high school students in Diyarbakir.

Cigarette, alcohol and substance use is a worldwide threat which especially affects young people and a preventable public health problem. Aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of substance use and the factors affecting this prevalence among the students of primary and high school students in Diyarbakir. 62% of the students were males, and 38% were females. The age range was from 11 to 20 and the mean age was 15.2 + 2.0. The smoking prevalence was a total of 14.8% (6.0% in females and 20.2% in males), 5.8% in primary school students, 23.7% in high school students. The mean first-smoking age was found as 12.6 + 2.3 years. Smoking were more common among male students than girls. Close friends and teachers were source of imitation to smoke cigarettes. Other associated factors were age, buying cigarettes from the corner shops for parents, usage of other addictive substances. Cigarette use among students attending to schools in Diyarbakir is significant health problem and preventive interventions should be employed without delay. Interventions which will be implemented in this context not only should comprise the young, but also the all society. Families, teachers and primary school students are the groups which are of priority for intervention. The law about cigarette smoking should be fully enforced.