[Motivation factors for smoking in adolescents].

The study reports on the motivations of tobacco consumption in various populations of youths in North-Switzerland. A questionnaire obtained from 1436 school-children in the Cantons of Zurich and St. Gall indicated that 9% of the boys and 3% of the girls have tried their first "curiosity-cigarette" before age 6. Among 400 female students of nursing there were 32% smokers, and one of four was smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. In boarding schools the smoking habits varied according to pedagogic influences. Boys from farming families originating from East-Switzerland were smoking at a rate of 23% between ages 17-21. Girls of similar origin and age were smoking in 14% of the cases. Apprentices of the same age working in the metal industry of the city of Zurich were smoking in 55%, boys from High Schools in 30% of the cases. There were 17% of abstinents from alcohol among non-smokers as compared to 2% among smokers representing a significant difference. In High School-students from Berne there were 23% of smokers as compared to 3% of non-smokers with previous experience with hard drugs. The results of a Health Education Program conducted during three years as a longterm intervention demonstrated that tobacco consumption was significantly reduced in test groups as compared to controls.