More teens shun smoking

A Lakes District Health Board spokesperson said the increase in smokers was too small to be of real significance. Photo / Getty Images

A new study shows more Rotorua Year 10 students are daily smokers, but those working in the youth health field in Rotorua say that's not necessarily the case, and smoking figures for teens are trending down.

The survey from Action on Smoking and Health New Zealand found 3.51 per cent of Year 10 students in the Lakes District Health Board area, normally 14 or 15 years old, surveyed last year were daily smokers in 2014, slightly up from the 2013 figure of 3.34 per cent.

Those who identified themselves as "regular" smokers were up from 4.85 per cent in 2013 to 6.17 per cent last year, and the number of students who said they had never smoked dropped to 70.57 per cent from 75.95 per cent.

However, Rotovegas Youth Health clinical leader Dr Tania Pinfold said she believed it was important to look at the long-term trends which were heading in the right direction.

"We are noticing fewer young people taking up smoking, which is excellent."

Dr Pinfold believed one of the biggest reasons young people weren't taking up smoking, or were quitting, was the increasing cost of cigarettes.

"Access and higher costs are the most significant [reason]."

She said the downward trend over recent years should be celebrated.

Dr Pinfold said the smoking status of everyone who presented at Rotovegas Youth Health was recorded - whether they'd never smoked, were a smoker or were trying to quit.

"If they never start that's much better. I'd definitely say it is heading in the right direction."

A Lakes District Health Board spokesperson said the increase in smokers was too small to be of real significance.

"Should future surveys show a continuation of this trend in Year 10 smoking then Lakes District Health Board would become concerned. Nonetheless, Lakes DHB is committed to reducing smoking in its population including helping young people to not take up the habit."