According to a new study, two-thirds of people who smoke for the first time then become regular smokers.
ONE CIGARETTE ENOUGH!
A meta-analysis of 8 studies published between 2000 and 2016 in Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand and covering more than 215 000 people shows that over 68,9% of people who have tasted the cigarette then become regular smokers.
According to Pr Peter Hajek, from Queen Mary University in London (Great Britain), the main author of this meta-analysis published in the journal Resarch and tobacco control, this is the first time that a study of this magnitude has linked the first cigarette and regular smoking. « We were surprised by the size of the conversion rate, which reminds us of the importance of smoking prevention campaigns among young people.« he explains to the BBC.
ALSO EXPLORE THE INFLUENCE OF THE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE
The study's authors recognize some limitations, including that their results are based on self-report by respondents, which means that the resulting numbers are only an estimate. « It is possible that a lifetime non-smoker may have tried a cigarette as a child but it did not impress him, and he does not consider the experience important enough to report it.« .
They also believe that the influence of the e-cigarette should be explored because many recent studies show that the electronic cigarette is a door toentry to smoking for many young people.
Source : Topsante.com/
