摘要：The purpose of this research is to establish whether male and female schoolchildren active in sports smoke cigarettes. This research is based on a study of 101 female and 62 male 13-year-old pupils from four primary schools in Ljubljana. For research purposes, a questionnaire containing 42 variables has been used. All the variables have been “crossed” with the criterion variable “How many hours per week do you practice sports, including PE lessons?”. The results indicate that the assumed hypothesis cannot be proved; although some findings can certainly be ascertained. The analysis of results has shown that 12.9% male and 10.9% female pupils smoke. On average, the male pupils started smoking at the age of 11, whereas the female pupils started smoking at the age of 12. Care for their health is the main reason why the majority of pupils do not smoke and the reason why these pupils are active in sports. The male pupils mostly practice sports competitively, whereas the female pupils do sports recreationally and irregularly. The pupils who come from non- smoking families (i.e. parents who do not smoke) are usually more actively involved in sport activities than those pupils who come from families who smoke. There are, however, not many parents who are also active in sport, although most of them do encourage their children’s engagement in sports. In order to decrease the smoking habits among young people, various additional activities will have to be made available to them. The activities should be interesting to them on the one hand, and on the other hand, they should be available to them in their spare time. And sport activities should certainly find a place among them.
