Summer vacation is always the happiest time for children, though it can sometimes lead to excessive behavior. For instance, after the break, some children may develop unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking.
Dr. Xu Xiang, Director of the Outpatient Department at Zhejiang University Second Affiliated Hospital and Head of Pharmacy at its Binjiang Branch, conducted a specialized survey of 9,925 students across 24 primary and secondary schools in our province. The findings revealed that 16.6% of students had tried smoking, while 56.2% had experimented with alcohol. Minors are more sensitive to tobacco and alcohol than adults and derive far greater psychological pleasure from them, making them more susceptible to addiction.
Among respondents,
over half of students had tried tobacco or alcohol. "When elementary school students drink alcohol, many parents view it as an occasional occurrence and don't take it seriously. In reality, compared to adults, elementary and middle school students are more sensitive to tobacco and alcohol, and the mental pleasure derived from smoking and drinking far exceeds that experienced by adults. Under the influence of this pleasurable stimulation, they are likely to repeatedly experiment and become addicted,"" Xu Xiang stated. To address this, he led his team in conducting a questionnaire survey across 24 primary and secondary schools in our province. This research project was recently awarded the Popular Science Award of the China Medical Science and Technology Award in the first half of this year.
The survey targeted 9,925 students from 12 middle schools and 12 primary schools across five regions in our province. It primarily utilized questionnaires completed by students in the absence of teachers.
The survey revealed that 16.6% of students had tried smoking, while 56.2% had experimented with alcohol. Male students showed significantly higher rates of smoking and drinking than female students.
Regarding reasons for trying tobacco and alcohol, curiosity ranked first at 23.4%. Next, 10.2% tried alcohol at class gatherings, while 2% tried smoking to relieve stress.
Five Key Factors Influencing Children's Choices
Through the survey, Xu Xiang identified five major factors influencing children's choices: family environment, parenting style, academic performance, and internet usage time. Director Xu illustrated these factors' relationship with smoking using high school students as an example.
Regarding family factors, children with harmonious parental relationships showed only 22% smoking experimentation, compared to 40.8% among those with strained parental relationships. Families with strong parent-child bonds had 17.3% smoking rates, while those with poor parent-child relationships reached 53.8%.
Regarding parenting styles, only 18% of children from families with scientifically sound parenting methods had tried smoking, while 38% of children from families with harsh parenting methods had tried smoking.
Regarding academic performance, 21.6% of children ranked in the top 10 of their class had tried smoking, while 28.6% of children ranked below 30th in their class had tried smoking.
Among children with poor sleep quality, 83.3% had tried smoking; among those with good sleep, only 21.6% had tried smoking.
Among children spending less than 30 minutes online weekly, 18.4% had tried smoking; among those spending 4+ hours weekly online, 44.1% had tried smoking.
"Family factors, parenting styles, academic performance, and sleep patterns all influence children's moods and drive their curiosity toward novel experiences. Internet use—especially in internet cafes—exposes them not only to smoking environments but also tempts them to try cigarettes out of boredom," said Xu Xiang. Beyond these factors, regional culture also plays a significant role.
Among the five surveyed regions, Shaoxing—deeply influenced by its drinking culture—showed the highest rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.
Keeping Youth Away from Tobacco and Alcohol
Requires Collective Efforts from Society
To address this, Xu Xiang has been exploring various intervention strategies. One initiative involves writing a science-based book primarily targeting adolescents, urging them to steer clear of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. The initial draft is complete and preparations for printing are underway.
"Science books can subtly help children develop a clear understanding of the harms of tobacco and alcohol, gradually accepting the right concepts,"" said Director Xu.
"Persuading children to avoid tobacco and alcohol requires concerted efforts from all sectors. Parents, in particular, must keep tobacco and alcohol securely stored at home. During holidays, they should also ensure children do not come into contact with these substances," Director Xu emphasized. Additionally, society as a whole must create a supportive environment for children, preventing minors from exposure to such products.