Young people urged to kick habit
YOUNG southsiders have been urged to consider the dangers of smoking in the lead up to Youth Tobacco Free Day on Friday.According to the Cancer Council Queensland, of young Australians aged 14 to 19, six per cent of males and about eight per cent of females smoke daily.Even more alarming is that about 32,000 Queensland school children aged 12 to 17 years admit to smoking each week.
Cancer Council Queensland cancer action co-ordinator Claire Massingham said the figures demonstrated the importance of educating young people about the many costs of smoking.
“Tobacco remains one of the greatest causes of preventable deaths and illness and is a cause of many types of cancer, including lung, mouth and throat cancers,’’ she said.
“How much is smoking really costing you? is the question young people are being asked on the eve of Youth Tobacco Free Day.
“With prices averaging around $13.50 a packet, a heavy smoker can see almost $5,000 going up in smoke every year.
“We want young people to ask themselves if they’ve got that kind of money to burn and if they’d rather a new entertainment system or an overseas holiday instead.
Ms Massingham said it was important for young people to see how much smoking was costing them, not only by leaving them with less money, but also how it affected their health, appearance, and level of fitness.