Drop in teenage smokers

The number of 16- and 17-year-old smokers has dropped since it became illegal to sell cigarettes to under-18s according to new UCL research published today in the journal Addiction . In the first study of its kind, more than 1,100 16- and 17-year-olds were interviewed from across England before and after the age rise in October 2007. Researchers found the number of smokers dropped by seven per cent, from around 24 per cent to around 17 per cent. Smoking rates among older age groups - over the age of 18 - were not significantly affected by the changes. Researchers believe this result shows how important it is to continue working to help more young people stop smoking. Dr Jenny Fidler, lead author based at Cancer Research UK's health behaviour research centre at UCL, said: 'The new law looks to have helped reduce smoking prevalence among younger age groups. This is good news for the future health of this generation of young people and shows that tobacco policies can make a real difference.' New ways to protect young people from tobacco marketing - putting tobacco out of sight in shops and removing cigarette vending machines - became law through the Health Act 2009.