"Smoke-free Class Competition": Far-reaching conclusions based on weak data.

Comments on a randomized controlled trial by A. Schulze et al (see record [rid]2006-01696-005[/rid]) which evaluated the effectiveness of the "Smoke-free Class Competition" a European low-level school-based smoking prevention campaign. This study has several methodological problems, which are not sufficiently discussed in the paper. This is especially disconcerting since the authors draw far-reaching conclusions for the implementation of school-based prevention programs in general. The major methodological problem with the paper is that the randomization failed. Furthermore, the authors either did not measure the short-term effects of the program or they do not report on it. The biggest problems of the paper are the far-reaching conclusions and recommendations of the authors. All experiences seem to indicate that programs directed to young people should be continued during adolescence and that one single campaign is very unlikely to have a long-term effect. Therefore, school-based prevention programs need to be embedded in a comprehensive tobacco prevention strategy, including different age appropriate programs and structural control measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)