Fewer teens smoking, survey finds

11.50am

The number of teenage smokers is dropping significantly, according to the latest survey of fourth form pupils by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

ASH director Trish Fraser said the latest figures put smoker numbers back at the same level as 1992, reversing the high smoking rates of the 1990s.

She attributed the drop to a 20 per cent increase in cigarette prices in 2000 and many schools going smoke-free.

"In addition, the recently introduced quit media campaign and quitline could have resulted in many teenagers realising that smoking is a dead-end habit," Ms Fraser said in a statement.

Fourth form (Year 10) pupils who smoked once a month or more dropped between 1999 and 2001 from 32 per cent to 28 per cent of girls, and from 25 per cent to 21 per cent of boys.

Daily smokers dropped from 17 per cent to 15 per cent of girls, and from 14 per cent to 12 per cent of boys.

Maori girls had the highest percentage of daily smokers at 34.3 per cent, followed by Pacific girls (19.5 per cent), Maori boys (19.1 per cent), Pacific boys (14.3 per cent), European girls (11.4 per cent), European boys (10 per cent), Asian boys (7.2 per cent) and Asian girls (3.2 per cent).

The annual survey covered more than 30,000 pupils from 327 secondary schools.

- NZPA

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