[Smoking tobacco among young people in grammar-school, secondary-school and high-school and knowledge of relating wholesome threats].

Smoking tobacco in Poland is still a very common occurrence. Nowadays it is a method of handling stressful situations and is generally accepted in different social backgrounds. The Epidemiological data on occurence of smoking tobacco and its effects on people's health are taken from the Oncology Centre - Institute in Warsaw. Growing awareness of harmfulness of smoking tobacco, especially among young people and better educated a adult Polish people, is inter alia a contribution of the anti nicotine campaign leading by Health Promotion Foundation of prof. Zatoński. It should be remembered, that nicotine diseases are one of the main problems of public health in our country. The most important element of preventive activities is health education among young people in schools. That is why it is important to carry out surveys to estimate the scale of nicotine addiction and the level of awareness of its disastrous effects among young people in different types of schools. Considering the economic situation of Radom and possibilities of carrying out comparative surveys in Warsaw in later stage, 3 schools were selected at random (lower-secondary school, an upper-secondary school and a college). A selected cohort consisted of 300 people. Results of analysis shows, that level of knowledge on harmfulness of smoking tobacco among young people in all types of schools is very high (80-90% correct answers). But most of these young people smoke and this is, unfortunately, very alarming. Young people begin smoking at lower-secondary school, in spite of lots of information about anti-nicotine subject. It is influenced by TV, other young people at their age, their backgrounds and their idals. Anti-nicotine campaigns promoting healthy, not smoking life-style should be supported and launched, by media and young people's backgrounds.