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13 year olds - 2006 statistics

Smoking prevalence and consumption

4% of 13 year olds are regular smokers*
- 5% of 13 year old girls are regular smokers
- 3% of 13 year old boys are regular smokers
69% of 13 year olds have never smoked
36% of 13 year old regular smokers smoke more than 35 cigarettes in an average week
47% of 13 year old regular smokers reported buying cigarettes from shops
44% of 13 year old regular smokers reported being given cigarettes by friends
45% of 13 year old regular smokers said they would like to give up smoking altogether
64% of 13 year old boys regular smokers had tried to give up smoking
65% of 13 year old regular smokers reported that it would be very difficult or fairly difficult to give up smoking
54% of 13 year old regular smokers had been smoking for more than one year

72% of 13 year old regular smokers said that their family would either stop them smoking or persuade them not to smoke
92% of 13 year old non-smokers said that their family would either stop them smoking or persuade them to stop if they found out
71% of 13 year old regular smokers reported that at least one of their parents was a daily smoker
42% of 13 year old regular smokers reported that all or almost all of their friends also smoked
79% of 13 year old non-smokers reported that none or almost none of their friends smoked
85% of 13 year old regular smokers often smoke with friends

91% of 13 year old regular smokers reported that they hang around the streets weekly
50% of 13 year old non-smokers reported that they hang around the streets weekly or more frequently
61% of 13 year old regular smokers reported doing a sport at least once a week
78% of 13 year old non-smokers reported doing a sport at least once a week

*regular smoking is classed as smoking 1 or more cigarettes per week

Source: BMRB Social Research. 2007. Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) - National Report 2006. [online] Available from: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus_national06.htm
[accessed 11 June 2007]