By Haeli Wilson
Smoking is known to be one of the highest rated addictions around the world. Data from 2022 in the UK shows that 14.6% of men smoke, and that 11.2% of women have also smoked. The highest age of smokers is between 35 to 44 years old and the youngest age that someone starts to smoke is between 10 to 13 years old.
Smoking from a very young age starts from peer pressure with younger children in their friendship groups. They see someone else smoking and have the thoughts of it being “cool”, or believe that puffing on a cigarette it will make them popular in school. Another factor that can contribute to smoking is having parents in your household who smoke as well.
Vaping has been an alternate factor for those who do not want to smoke with physical cigarettes. In 2021, the numbers of people who vape were far higher than those who preferred to smoke cigarettes.
Sofia Walsh, 23, a student from UCL gives her thoughts as someone who smokes regularly in university.
The main effects from smoking are cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Islington Council shows that, “Smoking prevalence estimates for people aged 15+ registered with a GP indicate that Islington has one of the highest smoking prevalences in London.”
Deepika Ravichchandran, 22, has a master’s degree in Food Science from London Met. She shares her experience of what she has seen from working with patients affected from smoking.
The World Health Organisation reported that the use of tobacco in the UK is on a global decline. In 2010, 24.1% or so of the British population aged 15 or over were reported to have been using a tobacco product. Next year that number is projected to drop by 12.5%.
Source: American Lung Association, 2024
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