[BE smokeFREE--from trials to national implementation].

BACKGROUND

After small-scale trials, BE smokeFREE, a tobacco education programme covering the three years of lower secondary school was offered to all Norwegian schools in 1997. We have studied the effects of the programme, comparing them with results from the pilot project (1994-97).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A representative sample of 3,691 students filled in a questionnaire on their smoking habits and attitude to smoking (response rate 75%). Students enrolled in the BE smokeFREE programme were compared with a group of non-enrolled students, and with a third group that reported not knowing whether they were enrolled or not. Information on implementation of the programme was obtained from the first cohort of teachers using the programme who were followed up over three years. The response rate varied from 62% to 65%.

RESULTS

From 1997 to 2000, the proportion of Norwegian lower secondary classes enrolled increased from 42% to 62%. Over this period, a total of 110,000 students were enrolled in the programme, receiving on average four periods more of tobacco-related information than students outside the programme. Compared to other tobacco education programmes, BE smokeFREE has been shown to have a significant effect on maintenance of a non-smoking lifestyle, number of cigarettes smoked, experiments with chewed tobacco, expectations as to future smoking status and smoke-free behaviour in the school area. For 8th and 9th grade, maintenance of smoke-free status seems to be the same as in the pilot project; for the 10th grade, the results seem to be better.

INTERPRETATION

The large-scale implementation of BE smokeFREE has been successful and should be continued.