Numbers Of Young Smokers Decreased, But Older People Smoke More

Smoking rates among young people decreased, as older people who smoke continue to skyrocket, according to a study.

Smoking rates among young people dropped to two percent in 2015. This means that from 15.6 per cent, it dropped to 13.5 per cent, according to the data revealed by Healthstats NSW. Meanwhile, people aged 45-54-year-old who smoke daily, increased by two percent. 

There were 13,000 thousand people interviewed in 2003, and the study found out that smoking rates dropped to 10%.  In 2015, smoking rates dropped to 15%. 

"This is no small feat. Just a few decades ago smoking was so prevalent it was allowed in our workplaces, homes, cars, buses and train," NSW health minister Jillian Skinner said in a report by Sydney Morning Herald

Meanwhile, Queensland is serious about banning smoking among young people for good. This week, Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young urged families to ban smoking in their own homes. Chief exec said that the young children must be protected from any harm of second-hand smoke that affects their health. 

"We do need to have a conversation in our community about what is next," he said.

Under the 2001 birth ban enacted this year, anyone under 15 or who will turn 15 in 2015 is not allowed to smoke according to Professor Dunn. 

Health Minister Cameron Dick wanted to see the effects of new smoking laws first, before considering age ban.

"Let's see how that goes. We've gone from 30 per cent to 12 per cent of adults smoking daily in 15 years - I think that's a significant improvement," he said in a report by ABC News Australia.

"Clearly smoking is becoming socially unacceptable in Queensland," Dick added in the same report.

Local Government Association (LGA) warned the public about the illegal cigarettes that are now available in the black market. LGA added that fake cigars contain higher levels of toxic ingredients such as nicotine, lead, carbon monoxide, and arsenic than the popular brand names of cigars. Illegal cigars contain 500% higher levels of cancer-causing chemicals according to a source.