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15 year olds - 2008 statistics

Smoking prevalence and consumption

  • 15% of 15 year olds smoke regularly*
    • 14% of 15 year old boys smoke regularly
    • 16% of 15 year old girls smoke regularly
  • 47% of 15 year olds have never smoked
  • 51% of 15 year old regular smokers smoke 35 or more cigarettes in an average week
  • 57% of 15 year old regular smokers reported buying cigarettes from shops
  • 16% of 15 year old regular smokers reported buying cigarettes from a van such as an ice cream or burger van
  • 10% of 15 year old regular smokers reported buying cigarettes from a vending machine
  • 43% of 15 year old regular smokers reported being given cigarettes by friends
  • 41% of 15 year old regular smokers said they would like to give up smoking altogether
  • 71% of 15 year old regular smokers had tried to give up smoking
  • 67% of 15 year old regular smokers reported that it would be very difficult or fairly difficult to give up smoking
  • 65% of 15 year old regular smokers had been smoking for more than one year

Family

  • 74% of 15 year old regular smokers said that their family would either stop them smoking or persuade them to stop if they found out
  • 93% of 15 year old non-smokers said that their family would either stop them smoking or persuade them to stop if they found out
  • 66% of 15 year old regular smokers reported that at least one of their parents was a daily smoker
  • 40% of 15 year old regular smokers reported that all or almost all of their friends also smoked
  • 64% of 15 year old non-smokers reported that none or almost none of their friends smoked
  • 90% of 15 year old regular smokers reported smoking often with friends

Friends and leisure activities

  • 83% of 15 year old regular smokers reported that they hang around the streets weekly or more frequently
  • 43% of 15 year old non-smokers reported that they hang around the streets weekly or more frequently
  • 48% of 15 year old regular smokers reported doing a sport at least once a week
  • 67% of 15 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: NHS Scotland and National Statistics. 2009. Scottish schools adolescent lifestyle and substance use survey (SALSUS) national report: smoking, drinking and drug use among 13 and 15 year olds in Scotland in 2008 [online] Edinburgh: ISD Scotland. Available from: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus_national08.htm [accessed 24 June 2009]
 

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Action on Smoking & Health (Scotland) (ASH Scotland) is a registered Scottish charity (SC 010412) and a
company limited by guarantee(Scottish company no 141711). The registered office is 8 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh EH2 2HB.

ASH Scotland acknowledges with thanks the support of the British Heart Foundation and the Scottish Government in developing our website.

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