CYP Now - Policy & Practice: Policy into practice - Teenage smoking hasfallen off health agenda

Healthy eating and binge drinking may be high on the political and news agendas, but one serious health threat remains often undiscussed - smoking. One in every six boys and one in four girls are now regular smokers by their teenage years, creating a timebomb of ill health that we are still failing to prevent.

Despite Government targets to reduce regular smoking among young peoplefrom 13 per cent in 1996 to nine per cent or less by 2010, there hasbeen little change in statistics. And while the anti-smoking message isingrained in our school curriculum, this isn't yet showing through insmoking rates.

Children are influenced in their smoking habits by the world aroundthem.

They are three times more likely to smoke if both parents do, andadvertising and peer pressure have a major influence. But withtraditional methods of prevention not bringing instant success, how dowe intervene to support children to stop smoking, especially as there isoften little support available until they are old enough to access adultsupport - by which time addiction has already taken hold.

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