Tobacco.org

• More youth smoking, says report 

A fact sheet released by the World Health Organisation and the Centre for Disease Control in Kampala yesterday revealed that at least 67 per cent of adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years have smoked cigarettes or have attempted to use tobacco products. The survey was done on Ordinary Level students in Senior One, Two and Three from different schools.

"We are seeing an increase in the use of tobacco by the youth at an early age," said WHO's representative in Uganda, Dr George Melville Omorlabi, during the Tobacco Control Symposium yesterday. "The problem of tobacco is compounded by alcohol and sex and we are going to have a big problem if we do not act now." . . .

Out of the 4,283 students interviewed in the Global Youth Tobacco survey conducted between April and March this year, 20 per cent said they have ever smoked cigarettes, 21 per cent currently use a tobacco product, while nine per cent smoke. Another 17 per cent use other tobacco products like chewing tobacco, snuff, smoking cigars, cigarillos or the pipe.

The study further says another seven per cent of adolescents are likely to start smoking next year.

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