Reports on an evaluation of Smoke Free Leitrim (SFL): a five-year (1996-2001) school-based county-wide smoking education programme that was offered to all fourth class students in all county Leitrim primary schools (n = 450). By programme end 208 (59%) SFL students and 147 (55%) of the control group had tried smoking. Sixty-six (19%) of the SFL group and 63 (24%) of the control group currently smoke. No significant differences were found between the groups for current smoking. Daily smoking of SFL and control males was identical: SFL 19 (10%); control 12 (10%).

There was a significant difference between daily smoking of females: 14 (8%) SFL girls and 24 (16%) control group girls smoke everyday. The SFL intervention did not delay or prevent the uptake of smoking, but may have had some gendered effect. It reflected the limited effectiveness of long-term wide-scale smoking education interventions. A more sophisticated approach to young people and tobacco usage is required, that extends beyond the school to focus on tobacco usage in adults, families and the wider community.