Research Information System
18th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Sevilla, Spain, 10 November 2025 - 12 February 2026, pp.1122, (Summary Text)
social issue. Cigarette use and nicotine addiction—behaviors that pose a threat to future generations
and are widely targeted by societies for prevention and control—have become increasingly important
concerns. The growing number of young individuals who engage in cigarette smoking, along with the
serious health problems this behavior causes, positions cigarette use and addiction as major public
health issues. Therefore, in order to implement preventive and protective services targeting youth and to
develop effective intervention programs, it is essential to understand and identify the usage patterns of
cigarette consumption among young people. Within this framework, the present study aims to reveal the
behavioral patterns of cigarette use among young smokers attending university. The research sample
consisted of 656 university students. Participants were administered a questionnaire composed of both
open-ended and closed-ended questions. The data show that participants smoke between 1 and 60
cigarettes per day (M = 16). Their age at first cigarette ranges from 7 to 28 years (M = 16.95). At the time
they started smoking, 72.30 % reported having at least one family member who smoked, and 32.20 %
identified friends or the peer group as the primary reason for initiation. Since they began smoking,
67.40 % have increased their cigarette consumption. Although 52.90 % have attempted to quit, they
were unsuccessful; among those, 27.60 % attributed failure to the influence of their peer group and
25.60 % to a lack of willpower. Metaphorically, the young people most often described cigarettes as
“love” (10 %), “food” (7.50 %), “water” (5.4 %), and a “toxic relationship” (3.9 %). These results indicate
that the primary , middle , and university level years constitute critical periods for smoking initiation. The
presence of a smoking family member and peer relationships emerge as key determinants of cigarette
use. Likewise, peer influence and low self efficacy appear to be major barriers to cessation attempts.
The findings underscore the need for family focused programmes that address modelling and attitudes
toward smoking; school based preventive and protective interventions across all educational levels;
youth empowerment cessation initiatives that strengthen self confidence and coping skills. Such multi
layered strategies are once again shown to be vital in tackling this public health challenge