DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i04.042

Pages: 1582-1587

The nicotine dependence is a physiological and psychological process. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors of nicotine dependence among Moroccan smokers. It was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2006 on a representative sample of Moroccan smokers. The questionnaire used to collect data was adapted from an existing tobacco use questionnaire developed by the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. The nicotine dependence was assessed using the heaviness of smoking index (HSI) which is a short form of the Fagerstrom tolerance questionnaire. Among 1651 current smokers, 91.0% were men. The average of age was 32.6 years ± 12.3. 56.2% were single and 39.9% were married; 65.6% lived in urban areas, while 20.7% lived in middle-income areas. The average of HSI was 1.97. The nicotine dependence was significantly associated to sex (p<0.002) men were at high risk to develop nicotine dependence in comparison with women. It is associated also with early age of smoking initiation (p<0.005). The age of smoking onset should be considered in the establishment of laws related to the control of tobacco sale.