Nicotine patches help children

Young people can quickly become addicted

Children taking part in a trial say using nicotine patches has helped them stop smoking.

Children, aged 12 to 16 from Nottingham, have been participating in the first major study to examine how effective nicotine patches are.

A number of the children in the project have talked to the BBC about their experiences with the patches.

Gareth Bowles, 15, from Nottingham, has reduced from smoking ten cigarettes to three during the project.

Gareth Bowles cut down his smoking

"(The study) has given me the help that I needed to try and I've cut down to three a day."

Becky Holt, 15, from Nottingham, has managed to quit smoking.

"My mother supported me in quitting... and it worked after a while."

Dr Elin Jones, from Nottingham University, said: "I think they (children) are always going to be able to get hold of cigarettes.

"What's not been realised for a long time is that many of these young people would actually like the chance to quit smoking."

Dr Jones said that children often start smoking because of pressure from friends, but later regret the decision.

"Addiction is really the main thing. They become addicted to cigarettes very quickly and they find it difficult to stop without help."