Harmful Effects Of Tobacco Research Articles

Evaluation of College of Nursing Affiliates’ Knowledge about Lung Cancer and its Relationship with Smoking

Objective: To evaluate knowledge towards smoking and its relationship with lung cancer among members ofBaghdad Nursing College.Methodology: The study comprised 100 affiliates from the College of Nursing/ University of Baghdad thatincluded students, teaching staff and employees. All data was collected through a structured questionnaireprepared by the National Cancer Research Center which were answered during a scientific symposiumorganized by the center on lung Cancer Awareness in March 2016.The data were analyzed by using the SPSS,version 22Results: The age of the respondents ranged from (19-64 years); 76% were females and only 4% were smokers.The results showed that the mean score for the level of knowledge was 65%. The correlation coefficientbetween the response and the occupation was 0.03. Twenty-two percent of the participants were of averagegrade while 20% of the responses were of acceptable level. The calculated rates for scores good, very good andexcellent responses were for 18%, 12% and 10% respectively. It was displayed that 41% expressed interest toparticipate in the awareness campaign under the supervision of the National Cancer Research Program; femalesexpressed a desire for charity more than males (74%).Recommendations: To promote public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and the importance ofpreventing smoking, highlighting its relationship with lung cancer and other malignant diseases. NonGovernmental organization should collaborate with the health and educational institutions to raise the level ofknowledge among the Iraqi society

25P - Tobacco consumption pattern among auto rickshaw drivers in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of premature death and diseases, currently leading to five million deaths worldwide which are expected to raise over eight million deaths worldwide by 2030. India is the second largest consumer of tobacco in the world. This study is contemplated with an aim to assess the prevalence of tobacco consumption and the associated factors involved in its consumption, as this group of the population is under constant pressure and account for the workforce of the country. So through this study we could be able to know the awareness of ill effect, reasons & amount of consumption. Methods: Across sectional descriptive study was conducted among Auto Rickshaw Drivers in Chennai City. Auto drivers who were working for more than two years and present on the day of examination and who were willing to participate in the study were included. Cluster random sampling technique was used. 400 samples were selected from 40 auto stands of various parts of Chennai City. Data was collected using a Survey Proforma which comprised of a Questionnaire which can assess the frequency of consumption, age of initiation, the amount of consumption, mental stress, economic factors, any past history of disease and most importantly the awareness towards oral cancer. Age, tobacco consumption pattern, reasons of consumption, amount of consumption, harmful effects of tobacco are the variables. Results: Prevalence among auto rickshaw drivers for consumption of tobacco products was very high (87%). Auto rickshaw drivers were mostly used tobacco in the form of Gutkha (72%) and bidi (40%) in comparison to other products. It also shows that they use cheap tobacco products. Most of the auto rickshaw drivers start using tobacco products in age less than 18 years (80%) and associated factors for tobacco use are due to friends and their influence (78%). Awareness level among auto rickshaw driver was high (70%) but still uses tobacco products because of its addiction (66%). In the opinion of auto rickshaw drivers increase in tax may reduce it consumption and the majority of drivers (70%) think that tobacco must be banned. Conclusions: Prevalence of tobacco use among auto rickshaw drivers was very high. They are in definite need of tobacco cessation activities. Legal entity responsible for the study: N/A Funding: N/A Disclosure: The author has declared no conflicts of interest.

Tobacco or Health? Harmful Effects of Tobacco on the Human Body

Tobacco or Health? Harmful Effects of Tobacco on the Human Body

An epidemiological study of tobacco-related oral habits in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, India

Aim: To assess the prevalence of tobacco-related oral habits (TROH) in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3200 participants in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, India. People aged 16–75 years and both men and women in same proportions were included in the study. Data was obtained by interviewing individual participants regarding various TROH. Results: Out of 3200 participants, 750 (23.44%) had TROH, whereas 2450 (76.56%) did not have any tobacco habits. In 750 participants who had TROH, the habit of tobacco chewing was more common (44.5%) followed by the habit of smoking (42.7%) and both smoking and chewing (12.8%). Conclusion: From the present study, we can conclude that prevalence of TROH is alarmingly high in this district. Oral physicians have an important role in tobacco control as they can directly see the harmful effects of tobacco in the mouth.

Cigarette smoking in adolescents with the emphasis on family impact on the development of this habit

Tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke is a threat to young people, who do not associate the experience of smoking with addiction and smoking habits of their parents accept as normal and expected behaviour. The aim of the research was to study the prevalence of cigarette smoking among children in higher grades of elementary schools in the municipality of Indjija as well as the family influence on their start of cigarette smoking and on their knowledge of tobacco threats. The research, in the form of cross-sectional study, was conducted among the pupils of higher grades of three elementary schools, during February and March 2014. Data collection was done by a modified form of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey. The study comprised 839 patients, aging 10-15, 53.4% male and 46.6% female. 7.5% of examinees had tried cigarettes, with a statistically significant difference among males (66.7%) and females (33.3%). A large number of the examinees tried a cigarette under the influence of family members (31.7%). 3.82% of the examinees continued cigarette smoking and 66% of them were exposed to tobacco smoke at their homes. 41.2% of the adolescents learned about the harmful effects of tobacco from their family members. The prevalence of smoking in the group 10-15 years of age in Indjija was lower as compared to the results of an earlier research conducted in the territory of Serbia. Preventive measures for the population of adolescents should be regular, organised and include both individual and group work which would continuously lead to the improvement of health and reduction of the disease.

Oral cancer profile among patients who underwent oral biopsy in a tertiary referral center in Central Kerala

Background: Oral cavity is one of the most common sites for cancer in our population due to a high prevalence of tobacco use in the country. Aim: The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the oral cancer profile among patients who underwent biopsy in a tertiary center in Central Kerala and thereby implement the preventive measures for controlling it. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted by analyzing the histopathological records in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Government Dental College, Kottayam, from June 2008 to May 2014. Results: The study showed that among 1270 patients who underwent biopsy as a part of the diagnostic procedures during the study period, 570 (44.8%) patients were diagnosed as having dysplasia, premalignant and malignant lesions. Out of this, 361 patients were diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There was an increased predilection of oral cancer among males and the predominant age group affected was between 61 and 70 years of age, followed by 30–40 years age group. Buccal mucosa was the most common site accounting for 42.6% of the total cases. The most prevalent histopathological pattern was moderately differentiated SCC. Statistically significant association was found between age group and histopathological grading, subsite, and histopathological grading with P Conclusion: The increased prevalence and younger age group involvement of oral SCC in the study suggest that preventive measures should be implemented in our society at the earliest. The data found in the study can be used to make public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol.

The Prevelance of Tobacco Use and the Factors Influencing in Students Studying at Two Dentistry Faculties in Turkey.

The objective of this study was to determine the pattern and effects of tobacco and tobacco products use among students of dentistry. A cross sectional study was performed in the Dentistry Faculty of Ege and Dicle Universities between April and May 2013. All freshmen and senior year students receiving education in both universities were included into the study (n= 321). A questionnaire consisting of 26 questions was used to determine the smoking habits of the students and the influencing factors regarding this habit. Students replied the questions under supervision. A survey was conducted among 298 students out of 321 who were attending both universities. 46.6% of the participants were female and 53.4% were male. Smoking prevelance of the students was 29.9%. It was 19.9% in freshmen students and 45.8% in senior students. According to the first class of students in the fifth grade students in the prevalence of smoking in was found to be highly statistically significant (p< 0.001). Among other tobacco products the following was identified as mostly used: waterpipe, also known as narghile (27.4%), cigarwraps (9.7%), cigar (9.4%) and smoking pipe (2.0%). While 22.5% of the students stated that they started smoking after the age of 15, 36.0% started between the ages of 15 and 18 and 41.5% after the age of 19. The rate of smoking in the house was significantly higher (p< 0.001) among smokers than non-smokers. While 78.7% of the students stated that they would like to quit, 64.3% tried once or more to quit. Smoking habit was found to be higher among medical students than the social average. Smoking is more frequent in higher classes. From early years onwards, students of dentistry should be intensively educated regarding the harmful effects of tobacco on health, and efforts should be made to prevent and control of tobacco epidemic.

OC31 - Tobacco consumption by adolescents: a study in the north of Portgual.

Theme: School health. To characterize the adolescents' habits of smoking in a Portuguese School; to identify if the adolescents have information on the harmful effects of tobacco and their health education needs. Quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study. Data collection in 2011 through a self-answered questionnaire. The sample comprised 441 students; mean age of 14.5 years old; 53.1% were male; 18,6% were smokers; boys smoked more than girls; they started to smoke between 7-18; the tobacco consumption is significantly related with: age (p<0,001); gender (p=0,002); interest of the family about the adolescents' problems (p=0,028) among others. The adolescents have information about the harmful effects of tobacco and the ones interested in receiving more information wanted it from the health professionals. Prevention and delaying the age of initiation of consumption should be taken into account in a target intervention plan, which should be led by the school health nurse.

Schools as smoke-free zones? Barriers and facilitators to the adoption of outdoor school ground smoking bans at secondary schools.

BackgroundWhereas smoking bans inside secondary school buildings are relatively widespread, a smoking ban for the outdoor school grounds is less common. Therefore, this study investigates why many secondary schools fail to adopt an outdoor school ground smoking ban. The aim is to elucidate the perceived barriers and facilitators of stakeholders at schools without an outdoor school ground smoking ban.MethodsQualitative data were obtained from 60 respondents of 15 secondary schools. Semi-structured interviews were held with various key stakeholders and a thematic approach was used for analysis of the transcripts.ResultsThe perceived barriers and facilitators of the stakeholders fell into four categories: 1) socio-political characteristics (legislation and social norm), 2) school characteristics (policy, decision process, enforcement, resources, workforce conditions, communication and collaboration), 3) individual characteristics (support, knowledge, and target group), and 4) smoking ban characteristics (environmental factors, guideline recommendations, outcome expectations, and evidence).ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of legislation for outdoor smoking bans. Moreover, collaboration, communication and involving stakeholders during an early stage of the process should be stimulated, as this might increase adoption. These results can be applied in future studies on outdoor tobacco control policies; moreover, they may facilitate tobacco control initiatives leading to more smoke-free environments to further protect youth from the harmful effects of tobacco.

Assessment of social determinants and prevalence of tobacco use among upper primary school students of Ahmedabad city, Gujarat, India

Background: Today’s adolescents are tomorrow’s citizens. Pandemic levels of tobacco use in children and adolescent have been reached. Violence within the family, stressful life events, negative peer influence, and so on are significantly associated with tobacco use and high-risk behavior. Objective: (1) To study the sociodemographic profiles of the adolescent school students; (2) to study the social determinants responsible for tobacco addiction among adolescents; (3) to study the prevalence of tobacco consumption among them; and (4) to study the relationship between tobacco consumption and other associated variables. Materials and Methods: By using multistage sampling method, a cross-sectional study was carried out among adolescent school students of Ahmedabad. According to the global study of Shah and Jathal (Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 2006), the prevalence of tobacco users was 14.6%; a sample size was calculated, and 2,842 adolescent school students studying in 18 municipal and grant-in-aid schools from all geographical zones of Ahmedabad were enrolled. Predesigned, structured questionnaires were given to students to be filled and collected back for data analysis. For raising awareness, health education session was organized by using audiovisual aids (PowerPoint presentation) regarding harmful effects of tobacco. Data were analyzed by using appropriate statistical software. The study was conducted during February 2013 to December 2014 after obtaining ethical consideration from the Education Officer of Ahmedabad city and principals of the respective schools by considering them as a legally acceptable guardian. Result: Prevalence of tobacco use was 12.2%. The prevalence of tobacco use among boys was 16.2%; among girls, it was 6.5%. Use of both forms of tobacco and smoking was two- to threefold more in boys when compared with girls. Students initiated tobacco use as early as 8 years in either sex; 400 (14.1%) students motivated others to initiate chewing and 78 (2.7%) for smoking. About 19.8% students revealed their family members as tobacco consumers and 1,001 (35.2%) students have ever bought tobacco products either for themselves or for others. Among them, 124 (4.4%) were buying tobacco products daily, and 643 (65%) were asked to buy tobacco products by their family members. Half of the consumers confessed that they are unable to quit. All these factors influence the tobacco consumption among the young students. Conclusion: This study found a significant association of tobacco use by the adolescents with family, which had one or more members who consume tobacco. Evident gender difference (male predominance) was also observed in tobacco use. Peer pressure and just for enjoyment were found the most common factors for tobacco consumption practices amongst school students.

A study on prevalence of tobacco consumption among school students studying from fifth to eighth standards and assessment of their risk behavior by studying their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding tobacco consumption in Ahmedabad city, Gujarat, India

Background: Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) represented that the prevalence of tobacco by adolescents was around 19% in Gujarat. It shows the alarming statistics of tobacco use by adolescents. Objective: (1) To study the sociodemographic profile of students (from fifth to eighth standards), (2) to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding tobacco consumption among them, (3) to study the prevalence of tobacco consumption among them, (4) to study the association between tobacco consumption and other variables and (5)to impart them health education regarding the hazards of tobacco. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done by multistage sampling method from February 2013 to December 2014 after obtaining ethical consideration from the district education officer (DEO) and principals of the schools. According to the 14.6% prevalence of GYTS, the sample size was calculated, and 2,842 students from fifth to eighth standards from 18 schools of six zones of Ahmedabad were enrolled and studied using a predesigned, pretested, structured questionnaire. Health education session was organized by using audiovisual aids regarding the harmful effects of tobacco. The study was conducted, and data were analyzed by using appropriate statistical software. Result: Of the 2,842 students, 69.1% of them were aware that tobacco is hazardous to health and 26.3% students knew that passive smoking is harmful. One-fourth of them were aware about antitobacco messages. Regarding attitude, more than one-third of the students believed that tobacco consumption makes one smart and helps in making a number of friends. If tobacco was offered free of cost, 14.5% were ready to use. Regarding their practices, the prevalence of tobacco use was 12.2%. The mean age of initiation was 11.66 ± 1.89 years. The mean number of pouches consumed per week was 1.8 ± 1.65. About 35% students attempted to quit tobacco in the last 1 year and 47% were unable to quit. Conclusion: Tobacco use is an important risk behavior among adolescents. Peer pressure was the most predominant risk factor for tobacco consumption.

Knowledge, attitude and practices about oral cancers among dental students in H.P Government Dental College, Shimla-Himachal Pradesh.

Aim:The aim was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices among undergraduate dental students about oral cancer.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among undergraduate dental students between the 3rd and 5th years in H.P Government Dental College, Shimla. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions, five each on knowledge, attitudes and practices. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., version 16 for Windows, Chicago, IL, USA).Results:The response rate of the study was 90.6%. There were 23 (21.5%) males and 84 (78.5%) females in the study. There was a predominance of females (78.5%). The average knowledge percentage for the entire population is 81.9% (excellent knowledge). Tobacco and alcohol were correctly identified by 63.5% of the subjects. Squamous cell carcinoma was described as the most common type of oral cancer by 105 (98.3%) of the students. 60.7% of the subjects strongly disagreed that their knowledge regarding the prevention and detection of oral cancer is current and adequate, and 99% agreed that there is a need for additional training/information regarding oral cancer. About 92.5% of the subjects used to educate their subjects about the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol.Conclusion:The study implies that the knowledge, especially about the etiological factors of oral cancer needs to be reinforced throughout the undergraduate dental courses so that they can use the same in educating and motivating the masses to adapt healthy lifestyles.

Est-ce que le fumeur connaît les méfaits du tabac ?

Est-ce que le fumeur connaît les méfaits du tabac ?

Tobacco use among high school children in Bangalore, India: A study of knowledge, attitude and practice.

Tobacco use among school children is becoming a serious problem in developing countries. The early age of initiation underscores the urgent need to intervene and protect this vulnerable group from becoming victims of this addiction. To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices about tobacco use among 13-15 year old school children of Bangalore City. A cross-sectional study was designed and data on tobacco usage was collected from 1288 students aged 13-15 years studying in six government and private schools of Bangalore using a self-administered closed ended questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS 15.0 and descriptive statistics was applied. Chi-square tests were used to determine the significant differences in the variables of interest. Out of 1288 children, 1281 (99.5%) children had heard about tobacco and 1162 (90.2%) students knew the harmful effects of tobacco. Only 28 (2.2%) had used tobacco products. Peer pressure was the main reason for tobacco use among children and age was not a barrier in buying tobacco products. Television (58%) was the main source of information for tobacco products followed by newspapers (26%) and movies (16%). It is encouraging to find that majority of the 13-15 year old children surveyed in the present study did not use tobacco and were aware of the health risks associated with tobacco use. This calls for the school authorities to be included in stricter implementation and monitoring of the implementation of legislation. Regular and systematic education programs catering to teachers, children, and also their parents should be undertaken.

Tobacco consumption and its association with various sociodemographic factors among females (15-49 years) residing in an urban slum of Pune, Maharashtra

<b>Context:</b> Tobacco consumption among females is on rise and is increasing at an alarming rate. This epidemic among the females is emerging as an important public health problem especially in slums. <b>Aim:</b> Study was conducted to find out association between sociodemographic factors and tobacco consumption. <b>Settings and Design:</b> Community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among females (15-49 years) in an urban slum of Pune during February 12 to April 13. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Sampling frame was prepared from records of urban health center. Required sample size was selected by simple random method. Data collected using pretested validated structured questionnaire after obtaining informed consent. <b>Statistical Analysis:</b> Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20, and Chi-square test was used for determining association. <b>Results:</b> Of 305 females studied, 31.5% of them were currently consuming tobacco. Most common form of tobacco consumption was smokeless that is, Mishri application 55.2%. About 64% females started using tobacco before 20 years of age. Most of them (32%) consuming tobacco for increasing concentration at work. Tobacco consumption was found to be significantly more common among ever-married and Muslim females. Lack of will power and ignorance about the harmful effects of tobacco were major hindrances (51%) for quitting tobacco <b>Conclusion:</b> Tobacco consumption was found to be prevalent in almost one third of females (15-49 years) residing in an urban slum of Pune. Most of them used smokeless tobacco, mainly Mishri. Tobacco consumption was directly associated with age, marital status and religion.

Awareness and perception of harmful effects of smoking in Abia State, Nigeria

Background: The goal of the health education is to influence their perception of tobacco use, thereby discouraging smokers and would be-smokers from smoking. Objective: This study is aimed at ascertaining the level of awareness of the warning against smoking, perception of tobacco use and tobacco control measures among residents of Abia State, South-East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based survey of respondents (aged 18 years and above) were selected by multi-staged sampling technique. Responses were elicited from them using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics; awareness of warning against tobacco use, sources of information, perception of harmful effect of tobacco and tobacco control measures. Results: About 88% of the respondents were aware of warning against tobacco use, the most common source of information was media adverts (50.7%). Awareness of warning against tobacco use was found to be associated with sociodemographic characteristics, history of smoking, exposure to smoke at home and public places, and perception of tobacco use. Conclusion: The findings from this study present an opportunity for initiating more robust policies, programs and interventions for tobacco control in the state.

An educational intervention program on knowledge about oral hygiene measures

Background: Health education is a process of transmission of knowledge and skills necessary for improvement in quality of life. Objectives: The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the oral hygiene related knowledge among the population in a selected community before and after health education. Materials and Methods: A total of 106 respondents were taken purposively at South Pirerbag of Dhaka city. Baseline data were collected by pre-tested structured questionnaire. An educational intervention program was conducted by dividing the respondents into seven groups, 15 in each group; method was group discussion and lecture; poster, model of teeth and brush were the aids. Post intervention data were collected by the same questionnaire. Results: Among the respondents, 61.32% were male and 38.68% were female, mean age was 46.25 years, 35.85% had primary level education, monthly family income was Tk 5000-10000 in 66.98%. Before intervention 64.15% told that teeth should be cleaned twice daily, 62.26% told teeth should be cleaned by brush and paste and 2.83% told teeth should be cleaned after breakfast and night; whereas after intervention the result was 91.51%, 85.85% and 67.93% respectively. Before intervention 66.98% stated that tobacco is hazardous to health but 32.4% have no idea about the type of diseases that occur due to tobacco; whereas after intervention 89.62% told that tobacco is hazardous to health and most of them had idea about harmful effect of tobacco. Conclusion: Educational intervention program is effective to improve the knowledge of the respondents about oral hygiene. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.20589 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.421-426

The status and future challenges of tobacco control policy in Korea.

Tobacco use is the most important preventable risk factor for premature death. The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international public health treaty, came into force in 2005. This paper reviews the present status of tobacco control policies in Korea according to the WHO FCTC recommendations. In Korea, cigarette use is high among adult males (48.2% in 2010), and cigarette prices are the lowest among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries with no tax increases since 2004. Smoke-free policies have shown incremental progress since 1995, but smoking is still permitted in many indoor public places. More than 30% of non-smoking adults and adolescents are exposed to second-hand smoke. Public education on the harmful effects of tobacco is currently insufficient and the current policies have not been adequately evaluated. There is no comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, or sponsorship in Korea. Cigarette packages have text health warnings on only 30% of the main packaging area, and misleading terms such as "mild" and "light" are permitted. There are nationwide smoking cessation clinics and a Quitline service, but cessation services are not covered by public insurance schemes and there are no national treatment guidelines. The sale of tobacco to minors is prohibited by law, but is poorly enforced. The socioeconomic inequality of smoking prevalence has widened, although the government considers inequality reduction to be a national goal. The tobacco control policies in Korea have faltered recently and priority should be given to the development of comprehensive tobacco control policies.

Smoking Cessation, Maintenance, and Relapse Experiences Among Pregnant and Postpartum Adolescents: A Qualitative Analysis

To understand the experiences and processes of smoking cessation, maintenance, and relapse for pregnant and postpartum adolescents, whose perspectives and needs might be different from other age groups. We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews with 52 pregnant and postpartum adolescents using tools of grounded theory analysis. Spontaneous smoking cessation during pregnancy was reported by most participants. This was generally explained as resulting from knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco on the fetus, intense emotional reactions to this knowledge, or unpleasant tobacco- and pregnancy-related physical symptoms. Relapses were common, however. Most participants experienced guilt when they relapsed during pregnancy. Postpartum relapse was less fraught, as many participants no longer considered their smoking to negatively affect their infants. This was found even among adolescents who were breastfeeding. Participants who did maintain cessation postpartum typically reported support from smoke-free families and environments. The results of this study suggest a constellation of protective factors that contribute to smoking cessation and maintenance during and after pregnancy, as well as risk factors that contribute to temporary or permanent relapses. These results can inform future research and interventions on tobacco prevention among pregnant and postpartum adolescents. Several promising strategies for intervention development are discussed.

Prevalence of tobacco use among adults in Ramanathapuram village of Pondicherry

Background: Tobacco use in any form has increased throughout the world. Total tobacco related deaths are projected to rise from 5.4 million in 2004 to 8.3 million in 2030 globally. In India, eight to 10 lakh people die due to tobacco related disease every year. The Global adult tobacco survey (GATS) in India in 2009-2010 revealed that 163.7 million use the smokeless form, 68.9 million smoke, 42.3 million use both smoking and smokeless form of tobacco. Aim and Objective: To find the prevalence, reasons for initiation, willingness to quit tobacco among adults (≥ 20 years) in Ramanathpuram village of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) rural health centre service area. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was carried out among adults >20 years (n = 315) in one of the four villages of rural field practice area of the JIPMER, Pondicherry. Considering prevalence of tobacco use as 25%, with 20% relative precision, sample size was calculated to be 300. Interns trained in interview techniques collected information using a structured questionnaire after taking informed consent. Data were collected on demographic parameters, current tobacco use, age at initiation, reasons for initiation, harmful effects of tobacco, sources of information and the willingness to quit. Result: Among the 315 people studied, 51.42% were males. Seventy-nine of them (20.6-30.1) used tobacco in any form. The proportion of females exceeded males in the use of smokeless tobacco. The age of initiation of smoking was found to be 22.6 ± 5.7 years, earlier than that for the smokeless form 27.5 ± 12.2 years (P = 0.032). The majority (50.6%) initiated tobacco use due to peer pressure, followed by influence of their family members (30.3%) and stress (17.7%). Although awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco was found in 64% (58.3-68.9) of the subjects, only 21.9% (13.06-32.2) of the tobacco users were willing to quit. Conclusion: About one-fourth of the study population used tobacco but only about one fifth of the users were willing to quit. Hence, targeted awareness activities will be needed for those unwilling to quit tobacco use.