Teen smoking a hot new fad

THE health of Bundaberg teenagers has gone up in smoke, with many admitting to being daily smokers.

Underage smoking is on the increase. Picture: Scottie Simmonds

THE health of Bundaberg teenagers has gone up in smoke, with many admitting to being daily smokers.

About 32,000 Queensland school children aged 12 to 17 years admit to smoking each week, according to Cancer Council Queensland, and that picture looks to be reflected here.

The NewsMail spoke to three teenagers who said “almost all” of their friends smoked cigarettes on a weekly basis.

Sixteen-year-old Justin Groat said he had been smoking for about two years.

“I first did it at a party,” he said.

“I smoke every day. Most of my friends smoke too.”

Mr Groat said while he understood the dangers smoking posed to his health, he was not “too worried”.

“Sometimes I think about how bad it can be, like when I look at the pictures on the pack, but I don’t really care enough to quit yet,” he said.

Mr Groat said he spent about $50 a fortnight on cigarettes.

“I’d probably stop if they cost $30 a pack. I’ll probably quit at the end of the year so I can save money for my licence.”

Another sixteen-year-old Bundaberg student, who did not want to be named, said she had also been smoking since she was 14.

“I guess it’s kind of like a fad and we’ll probably get over it,” she said.

“I don’t do it every day, mostly just on the weekend with friends. It’s a social thing.”

She said about half of her friends smoked.

“My mum knows, but my dad would be really disappointed if he found out,” she said.

“I do get a bit worried about the health thing but, when it gets to the weekend, I don’t really care.”

Seventeen-year-old Sean McClintock said he had smoked for several years but quit around six months ago.

“I woke up and realised how stupid it was for my fitness,” he said.

“I started at a party and it was a social thing that most of my friends did too.”

Smokers who want to quit can call the Quitline on 13 QUIT.

Originally published as Teen smoking a hot new fad