Less and less teenagers smoke

Positive trend: Only half as many young people smoke

06/24/2013

No smoking is in Germany for young people meanwhile „In“. In contrast to the year 2001 only half as many smoke and 72 percent of them have never pulled a cigarette.

New record
A study by the Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA) shows that fewer and fewer teenagers smoke. Accordingly, the proportion of young smokers in ten years more than halved, reports the „New Osnabrück newspaper“ from the study. In the case of 12 to 17-year-olds, the proportion of smokers fell from 27.5 percent in 2001 to 12 percent in 2012. And almost 72 percent of adolescents have never even pulled a cigarette. This is a new record.

On average, at 14, the first cigarette
According to the study, the adolescents today are significantly older when they start smoking. While the average age was still 13.6 years in 2001, today they are on average 14.4 years old at their first grasp on the cigarette. BZgA Director Elisabeth Pott told the newspaper: „Non-smoking has become a social norm for adolescents over the last few years.“ But more prevention is needed. „We must continue to anchor tobacco prevention in schools in the future in order to reach all social classes. "For example, there are clear differences in education in smoking behavior, such as between high school students and secondary school pupils.

It's best not to start with it
It is well known that smoking puts health at risk. One should therefore think that it is not necessary to point out serious illnesses such as smoker's cough or smoker's lung to keep people away. Apparently, however, it often takes drastic measures to reduce tobacco use even further. Thus, the EU health ministers have now decided clear warnings - with the help of shock pictures - on cigarette packs. There should also be an end for menthol cigarettes and a ban on additives. The measures are intended to prevent young people from starting to smoke at all. „The message is, do not start because you do not know when to stop it, "said Irish Health Minister James Reilly at the meeting of EU Ministers for Health and Consumer Protection.