A Pendle county councillor who is a member of Lancashire County Council’s cabinet has expressed his concern at the smoking habits of young people.
County Coun. Azhar Ali, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, spoke after research showed that young people across the county are increasingly experimenting with novel tobacco and nicotine products.
Health experts from Lancashire County Council have held a meeting with community groups and other partners to outline the results of a six-month study, which looked at how young people are using e-cigarettes, shisha and other tobacco products.
The meeting highlighted the results of research carried out by Durham University. The study included the views of over 300 young people aged 14 to 27 and found:
l Most young people using e-cigarettes were also continuing to smoke traditional cigarettes at the same time.
l Only a quarter of current e-cigarette users were using them to try and quit and many thought e-cigarettes were unsuccessful as a stop smoking aid.
l Significant numbers of young people use e-cigarettes and shisha pipes because they are attracted by the flavours and tricks they can perform with the smoke, such as blowing vapour or smoke rings.
l Young people class themselves as non-smokers even when they are smoking shisha tobacco. The majority were not aware of the health risks of smoking shisha.
County Coun. Ali said: “For young people, smoking is no longer just about having a cigarette with their friends.
“This research shows that more and more of them use e-cigarettes, shisha and other innovative tobacco products making it more challenging for us to protect them from the harmful effects of smoking.
“It’s interesting that many people are attracted to e-cigarettes not to help them quit smoking, but because of the tricks they can perform with the vapour, as well as the flavours on offer.
“We are also worried about the continued popularity of shisha, including the fact young people consider shisha bars a good place to socialise and meet people of the opposite sex.
“It’s clear that addressing the health effects of tobacco on young people is becoming even more complex.
“This research will be essential as we look at how we’re going to help young people be smoke-free here in Lancashire, and influence practice and policy relating to shisha, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products in the future.”
