The influence of two generations of smokers on cigarette smoking among young people.

In the 21st century, 4.2 million out of 1.3 milliard cigarette smokers die every year. In the West Europe in the year 2002, 105.9 million people smoked cigarettes. In Europe the number of young smokers grows by 500 thousand every year. It is stated that 9 million active smokers live in Poland. Although generally the consumption of tobacco decreases, still the scale of the problem is large. In 1996 Polish government passed the health protection act concerning the consequences of smoking. Comprehensive actions bring measurable effects, because 77% of the Poles (among them 27% of smokers) want the prohibition of smoking in public places. The aim of the study was to show the influence of two generations of smokers on cigarette smoking among young people. 244 active smokers, who have smoked cigarettes consecutively, were recruited to the study. People recruited to the study were divided into two age groups. The first group consisted of people at the age from 18 to 25, the other of people at the age of 65 and older. The differences were statistically significant for young people between the age of 18 and 25 and for people > or =65 who had elementary (p<0.0002) and incomplete high education (p<0.000). In the young group twice more people (26.7%) started smoking in the primary school than in the senior group (p<0.009). Before matriculation exam there are 41.7% of regular smokers. It is twice more than the seniors when they were their age (p<0.008). In the other group girls up to 18 years of age smoked three times less often than boys. Their peers 40 years later (in the first group 41.7% of young people) are regular smokers twice more often. In the group of young smokers most of the participants smoked up to 5 cigarettes a day or half a package a day, when in the group of the participants aged 65 and older only 6.5% of them smoke up to 5 cigarettes a day (p<0.00002). Seniors prefer to smoke a package of cigarettes a day, some of them even up to 30 cigarettes per 24 hours (20.6%) which makes a significant statistical difference in comparison to the younger group (p<0.047). Older people smoke two packages daily four times more often than younger people. Only permanent anti-nicotine education of all social groups, cooperation with anti-nicotine clinics, non-government organizations, participation in campaigns fighting with nicotine dependence, may influence the further reduction of the number of smokers in Poland. Reminding parents about not smoking in the presence of children and sensitivity of the society to smoking adolescents may change the state of health of the Poles.