Prevalence of tobacco smoking among junior high school students in Japan and background life style of smokers

In order to estimate the prevalence of tobacco smoking among junior high school students in Japan and to assess certain characteristics of smokers, the authors surveyed 5240 students aged between 12 and 15 years. In terms of both the number of subjects and of schools, this was the first major survey of Japanese junior high schools on the relationship between tobacco smoking and the background life styles of smokers. Of all students, 30.5% of males, 13.3% of females and 22.2% of the total were lifetime smokers; 3.3%, 0.8% and 2.2%, respectively, were daily smokers. As the frequency of tobacco smoking increased, the regularity of the life style routine was significantly more disturbed, and school and family life were significantly less relaxed. The authors suggest that the strengthening of family cohesion would be an effective preventive strategy in Japan.