DOI: 10.36347/sajp

Pages: 380-388

Cigarette smoking has varieties of adverse effects on human health, both acute and chronic. Policies have been enunciated globally to attenuate the scourge of smoking and also to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. This study sought to evaluate the knowledge of smokers in Amassoma community of smoking adverse effects, their perceptions of smoking policies and cessation scenarios. 254 questionnaires were administered randomly to recipients that consented after carefully explaining the objective of the study. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 20. 94.3% of smokers were aware that smokers are liable to die young; 24.8% still smoked because they were addicted to it; 70.9% claimed they found it difficult to quit smoking; 46.8% of respondents had attempted quitting once. Reasons adduced for the failed quit attempts included extreme temptation (62.9%); 91.2%) had been advised to stop smoking; such advice came from family members (38%) and the church (26.4%). Place of residence was correlated (p=0.002*) with willingness to quit smoking. Over half of respondents linked smoking with Cancer, Asthma, Cough, Heart Disease, Kidney disease, Liver Disease, Respiratory Disease, Lung cancer, Stained teeth, Bad breadth, Reduced life-span and Death. 48.9% expressed their willingness to quit smoking; 43.7% and 22.8% respectively were in support of banning smoking inside family houses and on the streets; 34% of the recipients were in support of restricting advertisement of cigarette in media whereas, 26.6% recommended that cigarette manufacture should be banned in Nigeria. Aggressive public enlightenment is indicated in this community