Tobacco consumption among 12- to 15-year-old schoolchildren in Delhi.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of tobacco use and its cessation among children in schools of Delhi. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 1094 schoolchildren (577 boys and 517 girls), 12-15 years old, was conducted using the modified Global Youth Tobacco Survey questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied (p<0.05). RESULTS: Among these, 132 boys (22.87%) and 120 girls (23.21%) were smokers. "Ever smokers" were 13.80% and "current smokers" were 9.23%, whereas 76.97% were "never smokers". CONCLUSION: Interventions that raise awareness at a young age, equip students to overcome peer influence, and provide counseling to quit using tobacco need to be designed.