Academiciansʹ attitudes and beliefs towards anti-smoking measures

Academic staff of Lucknow University (India) and its various faculties were questioned to know their attitudesand beliefs regarding various anti-smoking measures, using a questionnaire based on WHO guidelines. Of the male teachers 21.4% were current smokers and 12.3% were ex-smokers. Non-smokers were in greater agreement with various anti-smoking measures than current and ex-smokers, while more females — all of whom were non-smokers — than their male counterparts supported these measures. Endorsement of various anti smoking measures differed from group to group, however, academicians agreed most with the notion that ‘Everybody has a right to breath air free of tobacco smoke’. ‘Sale of tobacco completely banned’ was the measure opposed by most of the academicians. ‘Preventing diseases’ and ‘Religious reasons’ were, respectively, the most and least important motives for not smoking.