The research, undertaken by Social Change UK, questioned 11 and 12 year old girls living in North Wales about their attitudes towards people who smoke and awareness of the impact of smoking on health. It found that girls with low aspirations [1] that didn’t take part in sport or after school activities were more likely to smoke or use e-cigarettes. It also found that shock tactics were an effective way of discouraging girls from taking up smoking but worked best when the girls could see themselves or a family member in a position of harm.
The study which looked at smoking rates of 11 and 12 year old girls in North Wales found that if parents smoke, children are more likely to start and that smoking prevalence among young girls appears highest in deprived communities.
Andrew Jones, Executive Director of Public Health for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health board said “Two per cent of 11-12 year old girls smoke, with prevalence rising to five per cent in some communities. The study found that awareness and use of e-cigarettes was common place in some areas, most of the girls who took part in focus groups could name at least five different flavours of vapours which include strawberry milkshake, gummy bear and bubble gum. Some were not aware that e-cigarettes could have nicotine in them and most felt that e-cigarettes were ‘not as bad’ as cigarettes.
“The girls questioned said they were not confident to ask an adult to stop smoking around them or to quit but were willing to challenge friends or boyfriends who smoked. Those questioned also thought that TV characters that smoke set a bad example.”
The report recommends a review of education programmes in North Wales to ensure that children and young people are all being given the correct information regarding tobacco and e-cigarettes. It also recommends introducing control measures around the sale of e-cigarettes to children both online and on the high street and strengthening activities to raise aspirations and build confidence in young girls.
A pilot of interventions is now underway,which is being led by Social Change UK and includes working with girls in the Wrexham area to develop a campaign encouraging young girls not to start smoking. Schools and youth groups in the area are also being encouraged to increase participation in outdoor activities, and measures to control the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s are being developed. The Smoke Free Wrexham group will be working with businesses and the public sector to create more smoke free spaces and buildings.
Kelly Evans, Social Change UK said: "We feel passionately about preventing young people from taking up smoking - and that includes using E-cigarettes. Our work with young people in Wales and in other places across the UK has found that some children are still choosing to smoke and young people find E-cigarettes highly appealing and this is worrying. Working in partnership we hope to make a real difference today by putting in place measures and support that will help young people to make alternative choices that protect them long into the future".
Wrexham County Borough Council’s Chief Executive Dr Helen Paterson said, “I welcome this report which demonstrates that work is required with this age group to discourage smoking. I am also very pleased that Wrexham young people will be amongst the first to benefit from intervention which has already begun and look forward to seeing what improvements are made with this age group in the future.”
This research provides a benchmark from which the effectiveness of interventions can be evaluated. The survey will be repeated in future to provide accurate information about the key actions that are effective in preventing young people from taking up smoking.
ENDS
CONTACT:
Sioned Humphreys 01248 675890 or Public Health Wales communications team on 029 2034 8755 (24 hours)
Kelly Evans, Social Change UK 01522 837250
Editor’s notes
North Wales Tobacco Control Alliance is made of representatives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Public Health Wales and all North Wales Local Authorities.
Welsh and English interviews available.
Public Health Wales is an NHS organisation providing professionally independent public health advice and services to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Wales.
Public Health Wales has four statutory functions:
- To provide and manage a range of public health, health protection, healthcare improvement, health advisory, child protection and microbiological laboratory services and services relating to the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases;
- To develop and maintain arrangements for making information about matters related to the protection and improvement of health in Wales available to the public; to undertake and commission research into such matters and to contribute to the provision and development of training in such matters;
- To undertake the systematic collection, analysis and dissemination of information about the health of the people of Wales in particular including cancer incidence, mortality and survival; and prevalence of congenital anomalies; and
- To provide, manage, monitor, evaluate and conduct research into screening of health conditions and screening of health related matters.
More information on Public Health Wales is available at www.publichealthwales.org
Find out more about the research and project here
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Analysis of the media coverage by The Information Daily and NHS Choices.
[1] Measured through attitudes and behaviours in four key areas: family, place, school, the future