[Smoking among college students: characterization of use in the students' perspective].

The aim was to determine the meanings attributed to tobacco consumption among freshmen college students at the University of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. A qualitative study was carried out, using symbolic interactionism as the methodological framework. We conducted four focus groups with 10 to 12 male and female students from different courses, smokers and nonsmokers. The main categories of meanings regarding tobacco use were the presence of smokers in families of origin, the spaces for the start of smoking. The reasons for the initiation of tobacco use include influence from friends and colleagues. Sports and personal commitments were considered factors that do not promote tobacco use. We concluded that the university is an open space for the development and implementation of educational strategies in the prevention against tobacco use.