Government uses young people's worries to stop parents smoking

The Worried campaign aims to inform parents who smoke that teenage children worry about their future due to the harmful health effects.

Research commissioned by NHS Stop Smoking Services, found that 46 per cent of teenagers are more worried about their parents smoking than anything else, including money, bullying and divorce.

Health minister Ben Bradshaw said: "Smoking results in over 2,000 deaths each week and is the biggest public health challenge this country faces. These new findings should also make parents think twice about the emotional distress their smoking has on their children."

Paul Lambert, an NHS stop smoking adviser from Leeds, said: "Teenagers take far more interest in the health of their loved ones than we might often think. Many referrals to local NHS stop smoking services are as a result of teenagers telling their parents what they need to know - that smoking is harming them and their loved ones."

Adverts will be screened from Monday 23 February.