Youth Smoking: Teen smokers want to quit!

Research Targets Youth Smoking: Teen smokers want to quit!

A substantial number of youth smokers want to quit smoking, says a Ministry of Health researcher, so what can we do to support them? Recent statistics released by the Ministry of Health indicate that the rate of smoking among 15 to 19 year olds in New Zealand is high, at 26.8 percent, as opposed to the national rate of 23.5 percent.

Sharon Ponniah, an Otago University PhD student, told the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in Auckland today that almost half the smokers in this age group want to quit and are thinking about making an attempt.  Ms Ponniah's research is around youth cessation and her analysis of the New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey (NZTUS) focuses on youth smokers who want to quit, and the services and products they used during their attempts.

The NZTUS surveyed 756 youth aged 15 to 19 last year.  "Of the smokers, 48.5 percent were thinking about quitting which, is encouraging in itself, but the fact that 35 percent had actually made at least one attempt in the last 12 months indicates a motivation and desire to quit, which is essential to success," Ms Ponniah said.
Of youth who had attempted to quit smoking in the last 12 months, few sought help.  "We know the abstinence rate for smokers who try to quit unaided is very low; only around 3 percent who go ‘cold turkey’ are successful," Ms Ponniah said. 

Of the smokers who did seek help, higher percentages used nicotine products, advice from friends and family and advice from health professionals.
This is relatively new information which will inform Ministry policy and funding decisions around the development and provision of effective, accessible services that are attractive to this age group.

While Ms Ponniah is carrying out PhD research into cessation behaviours and accessible support for youth who want to quit smoking, prevention is another key approach for this age group.  The Ministry of Health funds research that investigates ways of preventing smoking uptake in the first place.

Researcher Ingrid McDuff told the conference that most smokers start in adolescence, and young people are therefore identified as the priority group for the prevention of smoking uptake.

Ms McDuff said 2006 marked New Zealand’s first contribution to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), which allows researchers to compare New Zealand youth smoking data with more than 100 other countries, including several in the Pacific region.

"This survey provides the opportunity to consider New Zealand's achievements in addressing risk factors for smoking initiation, such as parental smoking and exposure to smoking behaviour, in comparison with other countries. 

"The number of 13 to 15-year-old students exposed to second-hand smoke in their homes, and those who have one or both parents smoke, was lower in New Zealand than participating countries internationally, and in the western Pacific region. However, the number of students being exposed to others' smoking in places outside the home was higher."

Ms McDuff noted there is huge variation in tobacco control activity internationally. Of the participating GYTS countries, New Zealand was one of the first to implement a smoking ban in bars and restaurants, and use national campaigns to encourage smokefree behaviour in settings such as homes and cars.

She said other risk factors particular to youth included peer smoking, access to tobacco products, low social connectedness, and participation in risk-taking behaviours.
Ingrid McDuff said work had also begun on an action plan to reduce smoking initiation in New Zealand. "The priority groups for this plan are young people who are Maori, Pacific, female, and who attend low-decile schools."

ENDS