Stark warning over child smoking

The WHO says most under-age smokers want to quit

The World Health Organisation has warned that a quarter of a billion children worldwide will eventually die from tobacco related illnesses if current trends continue.

A survey carried out in conjunction with US health authorities found that one in five children between the ages of 13 and 15 in developing countries were smokers.

Areas surveyed

Barbados

Costa Rica

Fiji

Jordan

Poland

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Two cities in Venezuela and Zimbabwe

Four Chinese provinces

Capitals of Ukraine and Russia

Nearly a quarter of the children in the 12 countries targeted in the two-year research project had begun to smoke before the age of 10.

However the survey concludes that there are some signs of hope - most under-age smokers want to quit, although few have been offered help in giving up.

The WHO says that children have been warned at school of the dangers of smoking, but are unable to resist in the midst of a flurry of cigarette advertising.

The survey concludes that much more effort has to be devoted not only to preventing children from starting smoking, but also to encouraging them to quit once they are addicted.

The WHO is hoping to eventually extend its survey to all of its 191 member countries.