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. 2014 Sep;69(9):873-5.
doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2013-204379. Epub 2013 Dec 4.

Child uptake of smoking by area across the UK

Nicholas S Hopkinson  1 , Adam Lester-George  2 , Nick Ormiston-Smith  3 , Alison Cox  3 , Deborah Arnott  2
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Child uptake of smoking by area across the UK

Nicholas S Hopkinson et al. Thorax. 2014 Sep.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Smoking is a major public health problem. As smokers age and die prematurely, the tobacco industry must continue to recruit new, young smokers. Survey data indicate that currently in the UK around 207,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking every year. We used local data on adult smoking rates to apportion national data on child smoking uptake to specific areas. The presentation of data for individual local authorities, which now have responsibility for public health, can be used to focus attention locally. For example, this analysis demonstrates that each day, 67 children, more than two classrooms full, start smoking in London.

Keywords: Clinical Epidemiology; Tobacco and the lung.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimate of proportion of children aged 11–15 who started smoking in England and Wales in 2011.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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