Introduction:
In Sri Lanka 1.5 million people smoke 11 million cigarettes daily. Annually, 20 000 – 25 000 Sri Lankans die from smoking and smoking related health issues. Therefore we felt that we should intervene against the existing condition. Our target groups were male adults between 18-29 years, from all the districts in Sri Lanka, who participated to ‘Yowunpuraya’ exhibition in Hambantota.

Objectives:
Our objective was, assessing their awareness and merely not only feeding them with knowledge, but empowering them to control over factors which affect smoking.

Methods:
The discussions were facilitated as focused groups, with 356 boys that was divided, non-randomly, district wise. To evaluate their awareness about smoking a questionnaire is used, before and after the discussion. This discussions were based on aspects such as distortion of appearance, diseases and sexual impotence related with smoking, media influence and multinational company strategies and how smoking effects on their economic status and family wellbeing. Observations were also important to assess the alteration of their attitudes. Afterwards they were facilitated to suppose that what they are capable to do to reduce tobacco smoking and what are the common welfare services that can be implemented through saved money from cigarettes.

Results:
According to the observations, about 90% of them were emotional and sensitive about issues like distortion, impotence and the annual expenses of cigarettes. However in contrast enthusiasm about common issues such as diseases, related with smoking were low. It was witnessed how their involvement was also better since they were free to answer. Comparatively there was a considerable improvement of the quality of answers in post-questionnaire than pre-questionnaire.

Conclusion(s):
After the discussion the awareness about consequences of smoking has been enhanced and also it can be concluded that, health promotion approach has empowered young adults to control over the factors, effect for smoking.