UK: Smoking among teenagers continues to decline

October 25, 2024

Par: National Committee Against Smoking

Dernière mise à jour: October 24, 2024

Temps de lecture: 4 minutes

Royaume-Uni : la consommation tabagique en baisse constante chez les adolescents

A National Health Service report shows a decline in teenage smoking in the UK, although data shows a rebound in use among 11-year-olds. The report also highlights an increase in e-cigarette use among 11- to 15-year-olds, and warns of vaping practices.

The National Health Service report is based on a representative sample of more than 13,000 adolescents, conducted online during 2023.[1].

Steady decline in teenage smoking

According to the survey, 11% of students aged 11 to 15 had already smoked tobacco products in 2023, one point less than in the last survey conducted in 2021, and the lowest level of smoking recorded by the survey. The report also notes a constant decline in the initiation of tobacco use among this population: in 1996, almost one in two adolescents in this age group had already used a tobacco product. Most of these young smokers only started using tobacco (7% out of 11%), 2% stopped using it, 2% are occasional smokers, and only 1% are daily smokers. The report also notes a similar smoking prevalence between boys (10%) and girls (11%), however, 27% of adolescents reporting belonging to another gender category mention having smoked. Overall, the proportion of adolescents who have started smoking tends to increase with age, reaching up to 22% for 15-year-olds. The report, however, warns that the proportion of 11-year-olds who have started smoking has tripled since 2021, rising from 2% to 6%. Finally, the volume of cigarette consumption per smoker also tends to decrease regularly: in 2006, respondents reported having consumed 39 cigarettes in the week preceding the survey, compared to 9 in 2023.

Vaping slightly on the rise, and the issue of vaping among young people

Of all the adolescents surveyed, 25% reported having ever used e-cigarettes, four points more than in the last survey in 2021. Adolescent girls are more likely to be regular users of e-cigarettes (16%) than boys (11%). Similarly, respondents who report belonging to another gender identity are significantly more likely to report regular use than others (28%). While 2% of 11-year-old adolescents report being users of e-cigarettes at the time of the survey, this proportion tends to increase significantly with age, reaching a prevalence of nearly 19% among 15-year-olds. The report also highlights the importance of vaping among adolescents, since most regular smokers report having already used e-cigarettes.

ASH NGO calls on public authorities to strengthen regulations

In light of these elements, the NGO Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is calling on the government to strengthen regulations on vaping, but also on tobacco, which, although steadily decreasing, is seeing a "particularly worrying" rebound among 11-year-olds. Hazel Cheeseman, CEO of ASH, is encouraging the government to table a bill as soon as possible to reduce the attractiveness of vaping products.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] National Health Service, Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England, 2023: Data tables, 10/17/2024, (accessed 10/23/2024)

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