The prevalence of cigarette smoking among Ukrainian adolescents has remained stable over the past seven years – 12% of schoolchildren have this harmful habit. At the same time, almost every fifth (19.6%) uses electronic cigarettes. This is reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ukraine, referring to the results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), reports UNN.
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It is noted that since 2005, Ukraine has made significant progress in reducing the prevalence of smoking among adolescents. If previously every fourth schoolchild (24%) had this harmful habit, in 2017 this number decreased to 9.2%.
Adolescents and children are very vulnerable, and the future of our country depends on them and their health. Nicotine negatively affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems and forms an addiction that often lasts a lifetime. So it is our responsibility to protect children and adolescents by creating a safe and healthy environment for them without tobacco. This includes not only banning smoking in public places, but also aggressive marketing of tobacco and nicotine-containing products. I am confident that together we will achieve our goal
Despite the fact that experts note a stable level of smoking prevalence among Ukrainian adolescents, a survey conducted in 2023 showed that 12.3% of students resort to this method of tobacco use.
Every fifth adolescent surveyed (19.6%) admitted to using electronic cigarettes. This figure has slightly increased compared to 2017 (18.4%), when these data were collected for the first time.
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The authors of the study noted that about half of adolescent smokers (47%) want to quit smoking. At the same time, they are more likely than adults to use alternative tobacco and nicotine products.
The survey showed that 6.9% of adolescents use heat-not-burn tobacco products (HNB), 5.1% use smokeless tobacco, and 2.9% use nicotine pouches.
Despite the positioning of tobacco and nicotine products for adults, there is an obvious trend of targeting young people by the manufacturers of these products. Unfortunately, the marketing efforts of manufacturers are having an effect - more and more young people are being drawn into the use of tobacco and nicotine
It is reported that the ongoing full-scale war and humanitarian crisis, which create significant challenges in the implementation of health policies, have an obvious negative impact on the prevalence of smoking.
International studies show that any tobacco heating system is dangerous and does not reduce the risks of smoking. The responsibility of adults is to teach children to be responsible for their health (including mental health), this will help adolescents avoid the bright traps of tobacco industry marketing. Otherwise, this will lead to irreversible negative changes in the health of the younger generation of Ukrainians. Therefore, our task is to teach adolescents to form critical thinking about smoking
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2022–2023, Ukraine has already taken important steps in strengthening anti-tobacco legislation and on the path to European integration: it has introduced new graphic warnings, restrictions on the marketing of tobacco and nicotine products, banned aromatic additives in cigarettes, and continued to increase excise taxes.
The Ministry of Health informed that Ukraine has made noticeable progress in the fight against tobacco smoking among young people. But the growing popularity of electronic devices for tobacco consumption requires new approaches. Systematic prevention, information campaigns and strict adherence to legislation remain key factors in preserving achievements and protecting the health of the next generation.
Let us remind you
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the claim about the safety of tobacco products for electric heating (HNB) has no scientific confirmation. Despite the lack of long-term studies, it is already known that any heating of tobacco is harmful.
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