Prevention of smoking in young children in Holland: education and changing attitudes

Abstract

The Dutch Foundation on Smoking and Health is executor of the Dutch governmental information policy to discourage smoking. Although smoking prevalences have steadily decreased from 60% in 1967 to 33% in 1989, much needs to be done to continue to eliminate this dangerous habit. The main priority of the Foundation is to prevent young people from taking up the habit of smoking. To this end, we use two different education and prevention campaigns: 1) "Don't play with fire," a school program aimed at children 10-12 years old. It consists of a teachers manual and six worksheets for each pupil and gives information about seven different aspects of the smoking habit; 2) a continuing approach, via posters, advertisements in youth media and school materials to young adolescents 13-19 years old. In 1983 the campaign "I don't smoke, I play sports"; in 1986 "Smoking . . . why should I"; and in 1989 "Smoking? Why should you?" Both programs led to increased knowledge, changed attitudes, and decreased smoking habits among both target groups.