title: Prevalence of smoking and its related behaviors and beliefs among secondary school students in riyadh, saudi arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of smoking among secondary school students in National Guard area of Riyadh, and explore the reasons for the smoking and the attitude of non-smoker toward smoking habit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2009. By random sampling technique 255 students were enrolled from secondary school of National Guard area, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Current smokers represented 28.6% of the students. The most common reasons for smoking were: having free time (81.6%), for the relief of stress (63.2%) and seeing some of their teachers smoking (61.8%). Most of the smokers started the habit before the age of 15 years old (89%). 84% of non-smokers suggested to ban smoking in public places. 42.2% of students were planning to start smoking in future. Religion was the most important reason for not smoking among non smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of smoking is big enough a problem to be considered as a warning for an impending epidemic Health education provision should have a greater role in schools Governmental commitment and social support are vital if health education and awareness and especially quit smoking programs are to be implemented and sustained.
authors.affiliation: Saudi Board in Family Medicine, Arab Board in Family Medicine.Department of Family and Community Medicine, KAMC, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sultan Fahad
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Al Nohair