Younger smokers Health services resume

THE Valencian Health Ministry says that 17.6% of people aged 15 years and over classify themselves as regular smokers in the Community.

Some 2.6% of residents said they were ‘sporadic’ smokers in findings from the regional health survey. The average age when smoking starts among boys and girls is 14.1 years with females more likely to take up cigarettes.

The main group featured people aged between 25 and 44 years, while previous studies had the principal age group for smokers between 45 and 64 years. The health ministry says that there are more smokers among more disadvantaged people(28%) falling to 14.1% in wealthier and higher social class groups.