Muscat – More than four in ten male adolescents surveyed in Suhar were exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, while nearly one in five had experimented with tobacco, according to a study that has called for stronger measures to protect young people.

The study, published in the Oman Medical Journal, surveyed 227 male students from six government schools in Suhar. Researchers used the World Health Organization’s validated Global Youth Tobacco Survey questionnaire in January-March 2024.

Of those surveyed, 17.6% said they had tried tobacco, with experimentation most commonly beginning between the ages of 14 and 15. Current smoking prevalence was 7.5%, according to the researchers.

Secondhand smoke emerged as a particular concern. Around 42.3% reported exposure in enclosed public spaces during the previous month and 41.4% in outdoor public areas. About 15.5% encountered tobacco smoke at home.

Exposure also extended to schools, with 34.8% saying they had encountered secondhand smoke on school premises the previous week.

Awareness of tobacco’s health risks was relatively high: 61.7% considered tobacco use definitely harmful. However, only 39.2% regarded secondhand smoke as definitely harmful, pointing to gaps in understanding of passive exposure.

Social influences were another factor. More than half believed some of their peers used tobacco, while the researchers cited previous evidence linking smoking among friends and family members with greater susceptibility among young Omanis.

The authors called for stronger smoke-free policies, particularly in places frequented by young people, alongside prevention programmes targeting adolescents aged 14-15 and greater awareness of the risks of secondhand smoke.

They cautioned, however, that the findings cannot be considered nationally representative, as the research covered only male students at government schools in Suhar and relied on self-reported behaviour. Future studies should include girls, private schools and other parts of Oman, they said.