Age at initiation & prevalence of tobacco use among school children in Noida, India: A cross-sectional questionnaire based survey

Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable deaths world over, more so in developing countries. In India alone, nearly 1 in 10 adolescents in the age group 13-15 yr have ever smoked cigarettes and almost half of these reports initiating tobacco use before 10 yr of age1. The tobacco situation in India is unique because of a vast spectrum of tobacco products available for smoking as well as smokeless use2.Smoking of cigarette particularly beedis and chewing tobacco (smokeless use) is an age-old practice in India. However, according to anecdotal evidence with the changes in the dynamics of societies, the prevalence of smoking among women and young children has increased many folds and is at present a significant public health problem. There are only a few studies on prevalence and initiation of smoking and smokeless tobacco use among children in our country3,4.The risks of tobacco use are highest among those who start early and continue its use for a long period5. The early age of initiation underscores the urgent need to intervene and protect this vulnerable group from falling prey to this addiction6. The most common reasons cited for children to start using tobacco are peer pressure, parental tobacco habits and pocket money given to children7. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and age at initiation of tobacco smoking or tobacco chewing among school children in Noida city in north India. The specific objectives were (i) to assess the prevalence of tobacco habits among school children, (ii) to determine the age of initiation of these habits, and (iii) to compare the age of initiation between students who were more than 15 and ≤ 15 yr of age.