THE IMPACT OF MILITARY SERVICE ON YOUNG MENS SMOKING-BEHAVIOR

In a cross-sectional study of 2,112 Norwegian army conscripts ages 18 to 25, the prevalence of daily smoking was 50.9%. Among the smokers, 5 5.7% had increased smoking during military service, and 7.8% of the no nsmokers had started to smoke. These changes in smoking behavior were correlated with having a best friend who smoked, with dissatisfaction with the military service, with physical inactivity, and with frequent alcohol consumption. Ninety percent lived in dormitories where cigare tte smoking occurred regularly. Attitudes toward smoking restrictions were determined mainly by the subjects' smoking behavior and subjectiv e discomfort caused by cigarette smoke. Smokers as well as nonsmokers having a best friend who smoked were significantly less bothered by ci garette smoke than others. The findings support the conclusion that mi litary service has a negative influence on the smoking behavior of you ng Norwegian men. Intervention strategies are recommended. (C) 1994 Ac ademic Press, Inc.