School anti-smoking project 'a failure'

Many children start smoking through peer pressure

By John Duce

Researchers who conducted the biggest anti-smoking programme ever carried out in American schools say their project has been a failure.

They say teaching children about the dangers of smoking has not reduced the number of those taking up the habit, and suggest a complete rethink is needed about how to warn youngsters of the dangers of tobacco.

The government-funded study was carried out over 15 years in Washington State in the north west of the United States. More than 8,000 children in 40 districts were involved.

As they progressed through their school careers, children were given lessons about the medical dangers of smoking, peer pressure to take up the habit and the power of tobacco advertising.

No effect

However researchers found that about the same percentage of youngsters took up smoking, regardless of whether they had taken part in the educational programme or not.

Arthur Peterson from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle says the findings prove that school-based anti-smoking programmes don't work.

He suggests further research is urgently needed to find the best way to get the anti-smoking message through to youngsters.

But this may leave health researchers with the dilemma as to what other possible approaches they can take.