Prevalence of Tobacco Use and Knowledge About its Harmful Effects among 12-15 year old School Children of Moradabad City: A Cross Sectional Questionnaire Based Survey

AbstractBackground: Tobacco use among adolescents is an emerging public health concern in India, with early initiation increasing the risk of long-term addiction and tobacco-related diseases. This study assessed the prevalence of tobacco use and knowledge regarding its harmful effects among school children aged 12–15 years in Moradabad city.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 100 school children selected from three randomly chosen schools in Moradabad using multistage random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire based on WHO criteria. Information regarding socio-demographic profile, tobacco use, exposure to smoking, awareness of harmful effects, and attitudes toward tobacco control was obtained. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for analysis.Results: The mean age of participants was 13.5 years, with males comprising 67% of the sample. Fifteen percent of students had tried smoking, while 11% reported using smokeless tobacco. Most participants (82%) recognized smoking as very harmful and were aware that tobacco causes cancer. Exposure to smoking was high, with 75% noticing smoking around school premises and 25% reporting smoking within their homes. Parental smoking showed a significant association with students’ smoking behavior (p=0.044), and male students were significantly more likely to have tried smoking than females (p=0.008). School-based tobacco education was significantly associated with support for tobacco bans (p=0.023).Conclusion: Although awareness regarding the harmful effects of tobacco was generally high, tobacco experimentation and environmental exposure remained considerable among adolescents. Comprehensive school- and family-based preventive strategies are essential to reduce tobacco initiation and promote tobacco-free behaviors among youth.