Under 20 smokers become more addicted and find it difficult to quit
Researchers urge governments to raise the legal age to purchase cigarettes to 22 years or higher as study finds it becomes less addictive and easier to quit as people get older. The research is presented at ESC Congress 2023.
This study examined the relationship between the age of smoking initiation, nicotine dependence, and smoking cessation. The study included smokers who had visited a smoking cessation clinic in Japan. Participants completed the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) which asks questions such as “How soon after you wake up do you smoke your first cigarette?”, “Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where it is forbidden” and “How many cigarettes per day do you smoke?”. Scores for each answer were added up for a total score indicating a nicotine dependency of low (score 1-2), low to moderate (3-4), moderate (5-7) or high (8 or higher).
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