This before–and–after type of educational interventional study (without controls) was conducted among male adolescent tobacco users in a rural area in Maharashtra. The willing participants were explained about the purpose of the study and their socio–demographics and information on self–reported tobacco use were recorded on a pre–tested formatted proforma.

Trained peer educators who were selected on the basis of acceptability, leadership skills, and communication skills conducted peer group sessions with the participants. The post–intervention data were collected six months after initiating the peer education intervention. The pre– and post–intervention difference in frequency of use of smoked tobacco was significant (p=0.01455).  Eleven subjects had given up tobacco use over the six–month study period, while four subjects had switched from smoking tobacco to non–smoking type of tobacco. Peer education helped in reducing the overall number of tobacco users and continued efforts would be required to ensure sustainability of this intervention.