Smoking in college : prevention among students in CM2 appears effective

The rate of smoking among students in fifth and sixth grades who recall receiving a school diary smoking prevention in CM2 is significantly lower than the rate of smoking among college students who did not receive an agenda reveals a survey conducted by the Association Paris Without Tobacco and presented by its Chairman , Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg , during a press conference in an elementary school in the 14th arrondissement of Paris .
For the fourth consecutive year, a school smoking prevention agenda was distributed free to 17,000 students CM2 public schools of Paris by the Paris Committee of the League against cancer and a total 65,000 students taking into account those Seine- Saint- Denis and Val -d'Oise.

To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of such an operation prevention among adolescents, the association Paris No Tobacco investigated , independent of the process of the League against cancer with 2,900 sixth graders and fifth colleges of the city of Paris , which is equivalent to about 2 % of the students of the Department.

These results show the overall positive effect of the distribution of the agenda as college students of the sixth or fifth who recalled receiving the agenda, are significantly less likely to use cigarettes but cannabis and the alcohol, compared to other students.

Among college students surveyed , more than half (50.4%) recalled receiving an agenda. Among those who say they have received an agenda, 20.5% reported having smoked at least once against 28.5 % among those who say they do not receive it . In addition, the smoking rate appears lower among those who say they have received the agenda ( 2%) compared to those who found themselves in the opposite case ( 2.7%).

The distribution of the prevention agenda also seems to have a positive impact on the consumption of other drugs. Thus, rates of cannabis and alcohol prove lower among college students who received the agenda compared to other students : respectively 5.6% against 10.1% and 20% against 23.8%.

" The causal relationship between the distribution of the agenda CM2 tobacco prevention and reduction of consumption of addictive three main products consumed by adolescents is highly plausible, but further studies are needed," tempers Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg , pulmonologist at the Pitié -Salpêtrière ( thirteenth district , AP- HP ) .

CM2 students from elementary school to the street Prisse Avennes ( Paris , XIV ) , present at the press conference on Monday , interviewed those present on the risks of tobacco use. " Why tobacco is dangerous? " has asked a student. " The inhaled cigarette smoke is the first danger , like the exhaust of a car or the smoke of a fire ," said Bertrand Dautzenberg . " Nicotine, a substance present in tobacco , is responsible for the dependence induced cigarette smokers ," he added .

" How long can a smoker suffering from cancer ? " Asked another student. " It takes about ten years, a long occurs before the cancer ( lung most often ) in a smoking time." In total, more than 66,000 French more than 10 % of the entire population , suffer from cancer caused by tobacco. However, not all smokers develop cancer , said the pulmonologist . "In addition, between 3000 and 5000 non- smokers with cancer caused by passive smoking ie the cigarette smoke of others," explained Dr. Albert Hirsch, vice president of the League against cancer.

At the end of the session , Dr. Albert Hirsch asked the students how many of them will be able to resist the temptation of smoking. " If you have friends who smoke next to us, it may be able to give us cravings too," confesses a young student. " When my mother and sister smoked at home, I leave the room," replied one of his comrades who do not want to smoke later.