Fewer teenagers smoking than before, medical journal finds

There has been a marked decline in the numbers of young Irish people smoking, according to a new study.

The peer-reviewed medical journal BMJ Open studied the 15-16 age group and found smoking in that age group had dropped from 41 per cent in 1995 to 13 per cent in 2015.

The study said new laws making it difficult for under-18s to buy cigarettes, along with an increase of price and information about the health risks were some indicators of why fewer teenagers were smoking.

Between 1995 and 2015, the real retail price per pack of 20 cigarettes in Ireland increased almost every year.

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The study also looked at other factors such as perceived risk of smoking and family relationships and perceived relative wealth.

The study found family appears to play an important role in teen smoking.

Students whose parents usually do not know their whereabouts on Saturday nights are about three times more likely to smoke than the ones whose parents always know.

For male students, the odds are even larger, at close to five times.

Family influence

For students who were not satisfied with their relationship with their mother, the odds of smoking are about two times higher than for students who were satisfied.

Being from a one-parent family did not have significant effect on male smoking. However, female students from a one-parent family were about twice as likely to smoke.

The study found if a teen’s peers smoked, it had the strongest impact on young people taking up the habit.

If they had a few friends who smoked, they were four times likely to do it themselves.

If most or all of their friends did, young women were 27 times more likely to smoke while young men were 14 times more likely.

Prof Luke Clancy of the Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland said he hopes the downward trend will lead to a 5 per cent prevalence of smoking in Ireland by 2025.