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AboutSmoking
Are you under 18?
If you are, you need to know about the change in that came into effect in October 2007. You now have to be 18 or over to buy tobacco.
Find out more in our News section – click 16 and a smoker? Not for long...
Did you know?
Smoking 10 cigarettes a day costs nearly £1,000 a year!
Smoking makes your hair and clothes smell. It stains your teeth, hands and fingernails.
7 out of 10 adult smokers started when they were between 11 and 15.
Half the smokers who start as a teenager will die from it.
Why do people start smoking?
Lots of young people smoke because their friends are doing it. Some start smoking because they think it will make them look more mature.
No-one who starts smoking ever thinks they'll be hooked for life. But nicotine (one of the chemicals in every cigarette) is very addictive – don't underestimate how hard it is to quit. You could be stuck with an expensive, dangerous habit for a long time.
If you want to stop
The best thing to do is not smoking in the first place! But even if you are a smoker, it's not too late. There's lots of support for young people quitting smoking:
- click one of the weblinks to the right of the page to see websites aimed at young smokers
- ring the Cignificant Stop Smoking helpline on 0800 0854 113, or get help by emailing Email Stop Smoking
- talk to your doctor or the school nurse to ask for their help.
You will find quitting hard sometimes – just remember why you're stopping. Think of the money you'll save every year, and all the health problems you can avoid. You can resist the urge to smoke if you really want to.
