Attitudes and behavior in relation to smoking among medical students in Casablanca in 2010

Objective. - Smoking is a major public health problem. The doctor should be at the forefront in the fight against tobacco. Our study aims to determine the prevalence of smoking among medical students and to evaluate their attitudes towards this problem. Patients and methods. - A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 736 medical students enrolled in the faculty of medicine and pharmacy of Casablanca in the academic year 2009/2010. Results. - The prevalence of smoking was 7.9%. It was significantly higher in men (16% against 3% in women) and varied little from one age group to another (7-8%). The average number of cigarettes smoked per day was eight. More than half of the students (58%) had attempted to quit smoking. The main motivation was the occurrence of certain symptoms (66%). Ex-smokers accounted for 10% of the total. Moroccan anti-smoking law was poorly understood by more than half of our students (72%). The majority was in favor of prohibition of tobacco sales to children (92%) and the training of health professionals to help patients who want to quit smoking (86%). Conclusion. - Compared with previous years this study shows a marked decrease in the prevalence of smoking among medical students in Casablanca as well as a better understanding of its ill effects. This is due not only to greater awareness of this problem among medical students but also to the introduction of the teaching of the pathologies related to tobacco. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.