[Smoking among medical students]

A fundamental statistical analysis of the questionnaire given to 2089 first-year and last-year students of 9 medical institutes of the country was carried out within the framework of study of the "Smoking and Health" International Committee. The number of smokers per day was 21.6%. Awareness of smoking association with the development of certain diseases is 2-3 times higher in the last-year students than in the first-year ones. Among the nonsmokers 87.6% supported the need to limit smoking in public places, 79.2% to prohibit tobacco selling to children, 66.6% to prohibit advertisement of tobacco products and 82 supported the idea of instructing doctors in methods for treating smoking. Smokers were less enthusiastic in supporting the proposed measures. Among the smokers 53% claimed failure in giving up smoking. The main responsibility in banning smoking falls on medical profession.