The prevalence of smoking among medical students in Northern Border University of Saudi Arabia

Background: Tobacco is the utmost imperative avoidable reason of mortality globally. Smoking in medical students is a critical issue because they are future healthcare providers and are expected to show a momentous starring role in helping people to quit smoking. Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the pervasiveness of smoking in medicinal scholars of Northern Border University in Arar, Saudi Arabia, to look at smoking patterns and the causes of it, to evaluate the links between smoking and other sociodemographic characteristics as well as the causes of smoking and efforts to quit. Methods: The study was cross sectional study. All medical scholars on the period of study were included in the study. Data was collected via personal interview and filling a questionnaire. Results: Males constituted 54.2% of the respondents, the prevalence of smoking was 15.8%; 29.2% among males and there was no smokers in females. Year of study of medical student, and positive family history of smoking had a significant effect (P<0.05). 36.8% of the smoker medical students in the study reported smoking 11-20 cigarettes daily, while 23.7% said they smoked between one and ten cigarettes daily. However, 28.9% of smokers in college admitted to using a water pipe (sheesha). In 100% of the smoking medical students, smoking was a personal decision. Intention to kit smoking was reported by 57.8% of them. Conclusion: Extraordinary proportions of smoking are found in medical students in Northern Border University, KSA.