Advice for teenagers and young people about smoking, your health and appearance.
Enjoy a smokefree life, free of addiction and the serious health dangers of smoking.
Most addicted adult smokers began smoking as teenagers:
A lifelong smoker has a one in two chance of their addiction killing them
The younger a smoker starts the more likely they are to be killed by their addiction
The earlier children become regular smokers and continue to smoke as adults, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer or heart disease
Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer due to smoking than someone who starts in their mid-20s
Enjoy Living Smokefree
If you stay smokefree, it will improve your appearance and save you lots of money too. On this site you can find out about:
Enjoying smokefree pubs, clubs and restaurants, where the new law against smoking inside protects everyone from the harmful effects of breathing in secondhand smoke
How to get lots of free help and support to stop and stay stopped, if you have already started smoking
We have also selected some links to other websites with help for teenagers and young people. Read the NHS guide No Chance, Get Lucky to find out how not smoking makes you more attractive.
The Anti-Tobacco Youth Campaign is run by young people, for young people, to allow teenagers to have a voice and seek support.
Buying Tobacco - the Law Has Changed
It is now illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18. The age limit changed from 16 to 18 from 1 October 2007.
Changing the legal age of the sale of tobacco follows on from the introduction of smokefree public places legislation on 1 July 2007.
The new higher age restriction is aimed at reducing smoking rates among young people and their exposure to smoking-related diseases.
From August 2007 there was national media advertising, including posters at local convenience stores where teenagers buy cigarettes.
A new website for teenagers is available with advice about the change and you can download a factsheet for youth organisations.
