Analysis of the use of tobacco and electronic cigarettes in medical students at a college in a countryside city of the State of São Paulo

Objectives: Smoking remains a public health issue today, despite the efforts of authorities to reduce this habit. Unfortunately, what is witnessed today is similar to what was seen around the time of the introduction of cigarettes in the 1950s, since electronic smoking devices emerged as a new interface for smoking, even presenting themselves as a way to reduce the habit. This present study conducted at a medical school aimed to highlight smoking, whether through conventional cigarettes or electronic smoking devices, among medical students and the reasons why they engage in this behavior. Methods: For this purpose, a descriptive, cross-sectional study with quantitative, descriptive, and statistical analysis of the data was conducted. Results and Conclusion: After analysis, it was observed that smoking initiation mostly occurred during undergraduate studies, with stress being the most commonly cited reason for this habit. It was also inferred that the majority of smokers are male, and that women have a greater intention to quit the habit.