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| Students get hooked on smoking (29/6/2006) |
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New quit smoking units are expected to be in place soon at health centres after a study found almost 14 per cent of UAE nationals in high schools smoke.
The study, carried out by the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS), found about 8 per cent of expatriate high school students also smoke. Dr Ahmad Wasfi, assistant director for community health affairs at DOHMS, said the figures were a "bad lifestyle phenomenon we have to deal with".
The study said about the same number of boys and girls smoked.
What most 68 per cent of young smokers had in common was another family member who smoked. In fact, just less than a quarter of all youths were exposed to passive smoking. But youths said their reasons differed for smoking.
About 44 per cent of young women said social problems pushed them into smoking. For young men, almost a third wanted to assert their own identity. Another third wanted to experiment, and another third put their smoking down to peer pressure. Wasfi said while the numbers were "bad" they were still lower than most Arab countries.
While Wasfi said more studies were needed to have a fuller statistical picture of smoking in the UAE, he said action would be taken based on the current study. "We will be organising new educational material for the upcoming school year for private schools, and we are coordinating for public schools as well." The educational material is expected to heavily target the high school students in lower years.
Wasfi said he also expected DOHMS clinics to "very soon" have units that smokers could go to for advice on quitting smoking. The DOHMS study was carried according to international guidelines. 103 private high schools were involved. 1,475 students were interviewed. 23.3 per cent of students are exposed to smokers. 8.7 per cent of students (nationals and expats) smoke. 4.6 per cent identified themselves as former smokers. 13.7 per cent of UAE national students smoked. 7.7 per cent of expatriate students in UAE smoked.
28.1 per cent of male smokers said they did so to assert their own identity. 15.6 said peer pressure caused them to smoke. For women, 43.9 per cent said social problems pushed them to smoke. 41.7 per cent of female smokers said they did not play any sports, compared to 35 of non-smokers |
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