Peer Pressure and Tobacco Smoking among Undergraduate Students of the University of Calabar, Cross River State

Abstract

Peer pressure becomes a perturbing and problematic phenomenon as children grow seeing their peers as role models. Peer pressure is a social institution that modifies adolescents' behaviours by making them indulge in risky behaviour such as smoking at early age. This phenomenon has indeed found its way into our tertiary institutions and among our youths who are leaders of tomorrow. This study examined peer pressure and tobacco smoking among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar, Nigeria. Data were obtained through the administration of a structured questionnaire to one hundred and twenty respondents in two well known and patronized restaurants and bars directly opposite the University of Calabar's small gate. Results indicated that 46 per cent of tobacco use among undergraduate students were accounted for by peer pressure, while the ANOVA result indicated that peer pressure had significant influence on undergraduate students' tobacco use (F = 4.069, p<0.05); the model