They might be role models for the larger population, but a new study shows that health professionals are one of the maximum users of tobacco in the country, with more than 50 per cent of them engaging in smoking or other activities.

According to the Global Tobacco Surveillance System, lifetime prevalence of cigarette smoking and use of other tobacco products among third-year medical students was reported to be 28.2 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

Female medical students were significantly less than male medical students to have ever smoked a cigarette or used other tobacco products, it said.

The current cigarette smoking and use of non-cigarette tobacco products among third-year medical students was reported to be 11.6 per cent and 5.4 per cent respectively.

Nearly half of current cigarette smokers (47.1 per cent) reported to have desire for a cigarette within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning, indicating strong dependence on use of tobacco.

Less than half the students (48 per cent) reported that their college had an official policy banning smoking in college buildings and clinics, 62.9 per cent of them said that it was being enforced and over 28 per cent of smokers reported smoking on medical school premises and 14 per cent in buildings during the past year.

Over 42 per cent students reported having been exposed to second hand smoke in public places.

However, in some good news, over 91 per cent of students supported a ban on smoking in restaurants and in all enclosed public places but only 59.7 per cent supported smoking ban in discos, bars and pubs.

Most students supported ban on tobacco sales to minors (91.8 per cent) and a complete ban on tobacco products (79 per cent).

Over 71 per cent of current cigarette smokers and 73 per cent of current users of other tobacco products wanted to quit tobacco, while over 76 per cent of current cigarette smokers tried to stop smoking in the past year.

Among ever smokers, 56.2 per cent reported to have never received help or advice to stop smoking.

Recognising the role of health professionals in giving advice on smoking cessation to patients, 96.9 per cent said that they should routinely advise their patients who smoke (92.6 per cent) or use other tobacco products (95.6 per cent) to quit tobacco.

Nearly 91 per cent students expressed that health professionals should get specific training on cessation techniques.

Apart from this, nearly 93.1 per cent participants reported learning to take patients tobacco use as part of medical history.