Due to the risk related with tobacco smoking, especially among the young population, international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the National Centre for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Bank undertake actions biased towards limiting the consumption of products containing nicotine. The objective of the study was analysis of the prevalence of tobacco smoking among junior high school adolescents in Poland, evaluation of factors increasing the risk of nicotine addiction, and therefore exposure to the risk of tobacco-related diseases. The study covered junior high school adolescents aged 12-17 and their parents. The research instrument was a questionnaire form. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. Completed questionnaire forms were obtained from 9,360 schoolchildren and 6,950 parents. The results of the study show that the problem of nicotinism among Polish adolescents aged 12-17 is smaller than the averaged data for the European region. A strong effect was confirmed of family patterns related with smoking, and the effect of willingness to keep up with contemporaries in order not to ‘stick out in the group’ on starting of smoking by Polish adolescents. Considering the positive effects of the education project ‘Keep Fit’ carried out for schools with respect to the problem of smoking among young population in Poland, other institutions acting on behalf of health and public benefit should become engaged in similar actions, including the media.