Smoking rates and attitudes to smoking among medical students: a 2009 survey at the Nagoya University School of Medicine.

Since smoking is implicated in many diseases, medical professionals are expected to contribute to the reduction of smoking rates in their practice. Medical students are also expected to learn the importance of practical measures against smoking. This study surveyed the smoking rates and attitudes to smoking among medical students of the Nagoya University School of Medicine. Out of 612 students in their 1st to 6th year in 2009, 31 students answered "yes" to the question "Did you smoke one or more cigarettes this past month?" and eight students did not respond. The maximum smoking rate was 6.4% (39/612). The respective rates of students to accept smoking by doctors, co-medical personnel, patients in general, and terminally ill patients were 50.8% in males and 38.9% in females, 51.3% in males and 41.6% in females, 41.4% in males and 23.0% in females, 80.5% in males and 84.1% in females. This survey demonstrated that though smoking rates among medical students were relatively low, many accepted smoking, especially for terminally ill patients.