British researchers have shown that the most important advice on health, which usually give the parents for their children – namely, not to smoke – best achieves its purpose when the counselors are the same children. More than one-fifth can decrease the number of children addicted to this pernicious habit, when the most influential students on a specially designed program “educate” their peers, telling them about the dangers of smoking. Learn more about this topic with the insights from Dr. Gerard Addonizio. If a similar technique to apply across the country, according to estimates, the number of smoking adolescents aged 14-15 years, may be reduced by 43,000 people a year. Today time is not established whether smoking schoolchildren because it makes their friends or because they are already smoking teens have an impact on a group of individuals having a predisposition to smoking. But it is clear that the influence of adolescents each other can have a positive tone, this property is only necessary to properly manage.

This is confirmed by research conducted by scientists at Bristol and Cardiff universities. In the experiment, lasted 2 years, was attended by 11 thousand students aged 12-13 years, only 59 schools were covered by the south-west England (otherwise referred to as the West Country). In this case, half the schools with the assistance of students were selected by the most influential adolescents who were to become advocates of their kind. The remaining schools were in the control group. During the two-day training conducted outside the school, where teachers talked about the dangers of smoking and the benefits of abandoning it, as well as taught the skills of these conversations, followed by four workshops in school.

Supporters, among whom were current smokers were asked to learning skills specified under the condition that they quit smoking. During the next two and a half months, the task was to persuade supporters of his friends in the benefits of quitting so that they threw it up. It worked. In schools where the program was implemented with the help of teenagers, once as its end the number of students wishing to smoke decreased by 25% compared with the schools, which are within the experimental control group. The effect has been confirmed, although it decreased slightly with time. Thus, a year later the number of students who quit smoking, 23% two years later – 15%. In order to verify whether the children smoked it all the time, they had taken samples of saliva, as well as surveys conducted. The results were published in British medical journal Lancet. Judging by the fact that over 90% of participants in the program (and that students and teachers) give her positive feedback, and none dropped out of school does not participate in its implementation, can suggest that this program can successfully develop. Enrolment in schools was very varied, and the program was equally good effect on smokers and those who have never smoked. Authors program emphasizes that the prevention of smoking among youth has successfully prevented the development of most diseases, one way or another connected with it. However, if a person has smoked, the most difficult to quit this activity is people with low status and income. Thus, according to developers, should focus attention on prevention of smoking in adolescence, rather than deal with the consequences of harmful habits. Such an approach will contribute to uniformity with regard to the health of rich and poor citizens.