Almost 600 British Kids Take up Smoking Each Day

Source from:  Star Daily  12/05/2013

And getting the habit at a tender age is far more dangerous than starting in later life, warn experts

It affects lung development and boosts the risk of progressive lung disease, say researchers.

People who start before 15 are more likely to get lung cancer than those who smoke later on, even if the total number of cigarettes smoked is smaller.

Children with parents who smoke are also highly likely to follow in their footsteps.

Researchers found that among the 3.7million children aged 11-15 in the UK, an estimated 463 start smoking every day in England, 55 in Scotland, 30 in Wales, and 19 in Northern Ireland.

The authors say because their figures are from survey data they are approximate, but the fact they are regional could be helpful to healthcare professionals and regulators.

Smoking rates among adults and children are falling in the UK, but experts still believe the numbers are unacceptably high.

Ways to tackle this include taxation and anti-smoking campaigns.

Authors of the study, published in the British Medical Journal, said. "The data should help focus attention on the need to address this important child protection issue." Enditem