Research by University College London suggests that Teenage smoking rates in England have dropped significantly since the legal age for buying cigarettes rose from 16 to 18.
There has been a drop from 24% to 17% in smoking rates in the age grooup 16-17 since the change of rules. However smoking rates in over 18s remained unchanged. The results for the 16-17 year old age group was based on surveying 100 people in the age group.
It is commonly accepted that more than 80% of smokers start before the age of 19 and that half of all long-term smokers will die of cancer or other smoking-related diseases.
Jenny Fidler, who led the study said: “The new law looks to have helped reduce smoking prevalence among younger age groups.
“This is good news for the future health of this generation of young people and shows that tobacco policies can make a real difference.”
Jean King, Cancer Research UK‘s director of tobacco control, said: “This result is encouraging. We would like to have seen an even bigger drop in the number of young smokers but any measure that helps stops young people from smoking is a step in the right direction.
“We need to do more to protect young people. We urge the government to prevent more lives being lost to an addiction that will kill half of all long term smokers.”
She said putting tobacco out of sight in shops and removing cigarette vending machines would be a good place to start.
If you are a smoker, there are many products on the market to aid you in quitting. These include Lozenges, Inhalators (and Electric Cigarettes), Patches and Gum. Different people find different things that work for them individually.
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