Objectives: Smoking among university students represents a formidable and global public health challenge.
We assessed the associations between socio-demographic, health and wellbeing variables as independent variables,
with daily smoking, attempts to quit smoking, and agreement with smoking ban as dependent variables. Methods:
A sample of 3258 undergraduate students from eleven faculties at Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt, completed a
general health questionnaire. Results: Overall daily or occasional smoking in last three months prior to the survey
was about 9% (8% occasional and 1% daily smokers), and smoking was generally more prevalent among males
(male=17%, female=0.6%, P < 0.001). After adjustment for confounders, not having normal BMI and having a
mother who completed at least bachelor’s degree education was positively associated with daily smoking, and
conversely, no history of illicit drug use was a protective factor. About 76% of smokers had attempted to quit
smoking within the last 12 months prior to the survey. Although a large proportion of students agreed/ strongly
agreed with the banning of smoking at university altogether (87%), such agreement was less likely among
smokers. Conclusion: There is need for implementation of non-smoking policies on university premises, as well
as regular up-to-date information on, and the periodic/yearly monitoring of tobacco use by university students
employing standardised data collection instruments and reference periods. In addition, it would be valuable to
develop campus-based educational/ awareness campaigns designed to counteract tobacco advertisement directed
towards young people in Middle East countries. Otherwise, the danger could be that the current relatively low
smoking prevalence among university students may escalate in the future.