A controlled smoking intervention programme in secondary schools.

This paper reports the result of an attempt to modify the cigarette smoking habits and attitudes of third and fourth form secondary school pupils. Baseline data was collected in two schools using an interviewer administered questionnaire. In one school a new intervention programme based on curriculum development was introduced. The other school had routine anti-smoking education only. The smoking habits and attitudes of the pupils were remeasured after seven months. In neither school was there a change in either smoking habits or attitudes. The implications of these results for future health education programmes are discussed.