Young people and smoking
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Smoking prevalence
It is estimated that every year more than 200,000 children in the UK start smoking. Among adult smokers, about two-thirds report that they took up smoking before the age of 18 and over 80% before the age of 20. The latest survey of adult smokers shows that almost two-fifths (39%) had started smoking regularly before the age of 16.
The annual government survey of smoking among secondary school pupils in England defines regular smoking as smoking at least one cigarette a week. However, in 2011 pupils classified as regular smokers smoked a mean (average) of 35.6 cigarettes a week, approximately five a day. Occasional smokers consumed on average 3.5 cigarettes a week. The number of cigarettes smoked by both regular and occasional smokers has fallen significantly since 2007.
The proportion of children who have ever smoked continues to decline. In 2011, 25% of 11- to 15-year-olds had smoked at least once, the lowest proportion since the survey began in 1982 when 53% had ...
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