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6. JLNENILE SMOKING INCIDENCE
Tables 1 and 2 provide information for the total sample (7-15 years) and for 11-15-year-olds
only, the latter being
comparable with the United Kingdom surveys.
For I I-I 5-year-olds in every country, with the exception of Argentina and Hong Kong, the
position was similar:.
about half to two-thirds said that they had never smoked, and about one-tenth to two-fLqhs said that
they had tried
once and never again. Bearing in mind that it is between these two groups (those who had never
smoked and those
who had tried once and never again) that all United Kingdom adjustments were made (see Appendix D),
it was
found that from 63% (Scotland) to 96% (Hong Kong) of children aged between I I and 15 years had
never smoked
more than once.
On the other hand, in all countries, between less than one in thirthy-tb.r~ and approximately
one in six or right
juveniles -- lower in Hong Kong and Argentina (3%) and highest in Scotland (16%) and Norway (13%) --
said that
they were now regular smokers, that is, that they smoked at least one ciga~tte a week (see Appendix
D for a
definition of a "regular smoker").
Argentina and Hong Kong strongly contrast with most other countries in that the proportion of
children who
smoked is lower, despite less stringent advertising controls than elsewhere. In Hong Kong, only 3%
of children aged
I 1-15 reported that they were regular smokers, against 85% who said they had never even had a
single puff. In
Argentina, another country with few ~ctions on tobacco advertising, "regular~ and "occasional"
smokers both
amounted to 3%.
Pan of this difference is undoubtedly due to socio-cultural factors, which also affected whom
the child was with
and where they were at the time of the first ciga~tte (see Table 40 Although more boys than g£rls
had"ever smoked"
in Norway, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden, twice as many boys as gu-ls had ever smoked in the case of
Hong Kong,
.~,genlina and Turkey. This sex difference is also reflected in the smoking habits of parents, as
will soon be seen.
Naturally, there is a progression upwards, the older the child becomes. This increase is
governed by a number of
factors: as the child becomes older, adult aspirations and identi.Hcadon with adults increase, the
child's peer group
widens and includes peers with a g~amr variety of behaviour patterns, the child's mobility and
spending power
increase, and the age for legal purchase of the product approaches. Taking the two age extremes on
which
information is available, in all countries, we fred the following patterns for those smoking one or
more cigarettes a
week among ] I- and 15-year-olds:
SMOKING ONE OR MORE
CIGARETTES A WEEK
At II At 15
Argentina 0% 8%
Australia 1%* 19%
Canada 4% 35%
England 1% 28%
Hong Kong 0% 11%
Norway (ban country) 0% 36%
Scotland3% 32%
Spain 1% 27%
Sweden I% 19%
Switzcfland 0% 8%
Turkey I% 14%
Wales 1% 23%
* 11-12-year-olds in Australia
It is worth noting the higher incidence of smoking at age 15 in Norway, where a tobacco
advertising ban has been
in operation since 1975. Hong Kong and Switzerland have far fewer smokers at age 15. Even at 15,
however, there is
no country where juveniles have reached the smoking levels of their parents, as shown below:
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BatCo document for PFSFC 1 March 1999

PERCENTAGES OF
15-YEAR-OLDS
SMOKING AT LEAST
ONCE A WEEK
PERCENTAGE OF ALL
CHILDREN SAMPLES
REPORTING THAT THIS
PARENT SMOKED *
Father
Mother
Argentina 8% 52% 38%
Australia 19% 40% 34%
Canada 35% 49% 44%
England 28% 44% 37%
Hung Kong I I% 44% 4%
Norway (ban country) 36% 51% 46%
Scotland 32% 50% 48%
Spain27% 69% 32%
Sweden 19% 39% 37%
Switzerland 8% 50% 34%
Turkey 14% 70% 26%
Wales23% 47% 43%
* I 1-15-year-olds in the United Kingdom
7-1~-olds in Auswalia
7-15-year-olds in all other countries
One final point: for the sake of simplicity in reporting these data, we have considered all
smoking as equal,
whether the number smoked per week is one, or forty, or even more. The classification used in all
surveys allowed
for this aspect, and more detailed breakdowns are shown in the following table:
Argentina*
1 Australia
Canada
England
Norway (ban country)
Scotland
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Wales
ll-15-YEAR-OLDS:
PERCENTAGE SMOKING
THIS NUMBER OF
CIGARETTES PER WEEK
1~ %39 40+
2% I% O%
3% 4% 2%
4% 6% 5%
3% 7% 3%
4% 6% 3%
4% 9% 4%
3% 3% I%
4% 5% I%
3% ~% 0%
2% 3% 1%
3% 6% 2%
TOTAL PERCENTAGES
OF I 1-15-YEAR-OLDS
SMOKING AT LEAST
ONCE A WEEK
3%
9%
15%
13%
13%
16%
7%
lo%
4%
6%
11%
Note: Hong Kong figures were too low to be broken down.
" 12-15-year-olds
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BatCo document for PFSFC 1 March 1999

7. THE DIRECT IMPACT
OF ADVERTISING
ON JUVENILE SMOKING
INITIATION
The extent to which'outside messages"from the tobacco industry have made their mark on the young
can only
be considered against the smoking patterns de~'ribed above. The nine country surveys revealed that
the major --
indeed the overwhelming -- influence on the start of smoking behaviour among young people was the
related
behaviour of friends and family, and the importance of this factor was very similar in all the
countries studied.
In all surveys outside the United Kingdom, direct questions were asked about potential
irdluences. Children were
shown a list of items which might have influenced them.* Their answers with regaxcl to what might
have influenced
them most are discussed in greater detail in the next section, but what is shown below are
references to advertising as
prompted responses (that is, from a list shown by the interviewers):
Argentina
Canada
Hong Kong
Norway
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
PERCENTAGES IN THESE COUNTRIES
SAYING THAT, IN STARTING TO
SMOKE, ADVERTISING WAS:
FIRST MOST IMPORTANT REASON
I%
2%
1%
O%
O%
1%
2%
1%
In Australia, no boys and I% of girls answered "advertising" in reply to a differently-phrased
but similar question
(see bottom of Table 3 on page 16).
Few adults believe that they axe ever ~y influenced by advertising. However, there is a good
deal of evidence
(3,4,5,6,7) that children are less likely to be coy or self-deceiving in this respect-- .certainly,
in ~e case. of many o~er
products, they will happily admit to advertising pressure. In such a context -- indeed even t~ we ao
assume tnat
children are as reticent as adults --, the similar very low percentages reported in the above table
imply little
advertising influence.
As this study concentrated on investigating tobacco issues, there was insufficient scope for
similarly investigating
other products such as alcohol and confectionery. However in order to put the tobacco results into
context,
respondents were questioned about their brand awareness of cigarettes, alcohol and confectionery
(interpreted
respectively as "beer" and "chocolate'). In Australia, advertising awareness about these other
products was not
investigated.
In the case of Norway, Spain, Hong Kong, Canada and Argenlina, respondents were asked
specifically about
leading brands.** In the case of Switzerland, Sweden and Turkey, a more general, somewhat broader,
question was
put to respondents.***
The t'mdings were as follows:
In Norway (where there is no advertising of cigarettes), 70% mentioned the leading brand of
cigarette, against
71% who mentioned the leading brand of chocolate, and 77% the leading brand of beer.
.: Respondents were shown a list of pos3ibk reasor~ for start/rig to smoke (s~ Table 3 on. p.a~. 16
~ Ap.pend~.C):. ......
Question wording in Norwsy, Spain, Hong Kong, Cama" and Argmfir~: "t-u~t ol alL ~g ox cnocoJate.
I runr~g oz me auxcmnc
brands of chocolate that then: ate, which ones can you think of?." " .......
not advertised
*** Question wording in Switzer ,hind: Sw~len and Turkey: "There are some products winch, people ~
ouy, win. cn are at all.
Other producm have adverting in different sons of place~ Have you ever seen any mvermmg ior
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BatCo document for PFSFC 1 March 1999

In Spain, the pattern was quite different, with 77% mentioning the leading brand of cigarette, 63%
the leading
brand of chocolate, and 49% the leading brand of beer.
In Hong Kong, 77% mentioned the leading brand of cigarette, 87% the leading brand of chocolate,
and 91% the
leading brand of beer.
In Canada, 86% of respondents claimed to have seen cigarette advertising, against 90% who
claimed to have seen
advertising for chocolates and 93% for beer.
In Argentina, 96% of respondents claimed to have seen dgarette advertising, against 95% who
claimed to have
seen advertising for chocolates and 99% for wine.*
In Switzerland, 84% of respondents claimed to have seen cigarette advertising, against 87% who
claimed to have
seen advertising for chocolates and 92% for beer.
In Sweden, 65% of respondents claimed to have seen dgarette advertising, against 84% who claimed
to have seen
advertising for chocolates and 55% for beer.
In Turkey, 56% of respondents claimed to have seen cigarette advertising, against 90% who
claimed to have seen
advertising for chocolates and 66% for beer.
In Australia, at least 87% said that they had seen dgarette advertising, but as the full
Australian report
comments: "Awa~ness, then, of dgarette advertising was high amongst all age groups. This finding
essentially
reflects children's awareness of many adult products -- for example, kettles, soap powder, petfood,
etc. -- rather
than a motivation to purchase these products."
In other words, brand awareness of cigarettes was quite high in all the countries surveyed,
irrespective of whether
advertising is allowed or not. This is also true regarding non-tobacco products and even those whw.h
the young do
not use (for example, kettles, petfoods and detergents~
Other parts of this report suggest that such cigarette brand awareness is picked up from family,
friends and other
people, in countries where cigarette advertising is not allowed. However, the fact that cigarette
brand awareness is
high even in countries with no tobacco advertising is related to the industry's argument that the
purpose of cigarette
advertising is to induce brand switching, not just brand awareness which constitutes only the
initial step, and can be
generated through means other than advertising.
*Substituted for "beer'.
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8. STARTING TO SMOKE: KEY FACTORS
What are the influences which seem to be at work when children start to smoke? As CRU's research
experience
with children has shown them to be highly aware of brands and advertising in different markets,
regardless of
product usage, this international study set out to consider children's own views of the ways in
which they came to
smoke in the first place. The impact of advertising as an initiating factor was included in this
framework.
The conclusions which emerge from this international survey will cause little surprise, at least
in the central
theme. On the one hand, there are the, curiosity and the daredevil approaches to the first puff; on
the other, there is
the influence of friends, schoolmates and family. They are largely common=sensical, and corroborate
several
national studies (see Appendix G), although in a comparative and comparable manner, and in the
context of
varying degre~ of tobacco=advertising control
In this research project, questions were asked on the circumstances of the fhst smoke. Results
of ~vhy" and ~vith
whom" are given in Tables 3 and 4. Unfortunately, there are no UK data on "why", but a generally
comparable
question was asked in all countries outside the United Kingdom. For this purpose, a list of possible
reasons was
shown to all respondents in CRU's surveys; and a further list was provided concerning ~where the
f'trst cigarette was
smoked."
Several statements presented to respondents aspossible reasons for starting to smoke occupy
almost a traditional
status, having been identified by researchers at various intervals during the most recent decades
(d. McKennell ct
al., 19673.
In all countries, hardly surprisingly, among reasons given, "to see what it was like'came in
i'trst place, followed by
variations on the theme of conformity (19% in Australia and 16% in Turkey said that all their
friends smoked; 20%
in Sweden and 19% in Spain said that someone gave them one), or of daredevilry (38% gave this answer
in Hong
Kong and 16% in Argentina).
Looking ~tough", or "grown up~, "showing off" and "being bullied", however, did not emerg~ as
significant
masons for starting to smoke in the countries surveyed, with the exception of Norway, wh=re I I%
started smoking
"to look tough."
On the other hand, advertising was hardly mentioned as a potential reason for starting to smoke
by children who
had tried a cigarette. In relation to personal, familial and socio-cultural factors, advertising was
found to be
insignificantly related to smoking initiation.
Greater interest probably lies in Table 4, which presents answers to the question "With whom?"
Certain
socio=cultural differences were apparent, although detailed examination of these was not possible
within the scope
of the studies conducted. However, a couple of the most obvious differences can be explained by the
fact that, in
Spain, it is the local custom for children to be given a quick puff of a cigaxette at weddings, to
indicate "coming of
age."This would account for the very different pattern in Spain-- not merely the high proportion of
given cigar~es
(referred to above )) but also the far higher percentage 01%) who' referred to a special occasion
(see Table 3). This
was a category added for Spain alone, and not enquired about elsewhere.
Twenty-seven percent of children in Hong Kong, 24% in Turkey, and 21% in Argentina claimed that
they were
alone at the time of their rust cigarette. In the case of Hong Kong, being =alone" usually meant
during the brief
period between arriving home from school, and parents arriving home from work. Similarly, less
parental
supervision in Turkey during holidays led to children trying their lust cigax~tte ~alone."
Similar variations spilled into answers given on the environments and locations. Clearly, we
would expect that
the most common environment for the first puff would be with a fricnd, family or peer group. The
exception, once
again, is Spain where ~others in the family,""fathcr," and"mother" scored more heavily, again
stressing the special
wedding occasion already mentioned.
Table 4 has much more to tell us. While 27% of children in Hong Kong, 21% in Argentina, and 24%
in Turkey
first practised smoking on their own, afar higher proportion started smoking in the company of
sorneone in their
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BatCo document for PFSFC 1 March 1999

family. Indeed, an additional question asking where the child was at the time of first trial, shows
that the proportion
saying that they started within their own home was as follows:
FIRST CIGARETTE
TRIAL TOOK PLACE AT HOME
ll-15-year-olds
England 15%
Scotland 12%
Wales 12%
7-15-ytmr-olds
Argentina 53%
Australia (7-16 years) 38%
Canada 39%
Hong Kong 55%
Norway 29%
Spain 26%
Sweden 37%
Switzerland 26%
Turkey 33%
Perhaps because of question wording or question positioning in the surveys (although reasons are
not clear),
United Kingdom figures are far lower than elsewhere, but remain substantial. Still the above numbers
dearly
highlight the importance of parental habits and attitudes.
Children are exposed to many different influences, such as the authority of parents, the
comradeship and rivalry
of siblings and/or peers. For instance, in the United Kingdom, it is very clear that the habits of
brothers and sisters
are of more importance than those of parents, the latter inevitably playing a larger role in
one-child households
(and, in consequence, presumably playing that role in every household, as far as the fL,'stbom is
concerned).
A note is relevant here on Hong Kong. Among all those interviewed (that is, the total sample of
1003 respond-
ents), 44% said that their father smoked -- an identical proportion to those in England -- and 55%
said that they
came from a family where somebody smoked, compared with 65% in England. However, whereas in England
37%
reported that their mother smoked, only 4% gave this answer in Hong Kong. In other words, it would
appear from
the very small number of children and mothers smoking in Hong Koag, that the maternal role is
critical in juvenile
smoking initiation in that eotmtry.
Conversely, in Turkey the influence of mothers (in the ease of boys) appears to be far less
relevant compared with
the influence of friends and fathers with respect to smoking initiation. Mothers were present on
only I% of
occasions when boys had their first cigarette, eompaxed with 11% of occasions when fathers were
present.
Furthermore, as it is not socially acceptable in Turkey for women to smoke on the street,
significantly more girls
than boys had their ftrst cigarette at home.
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9. CONCLUSIONS
Smoking initiation is a complex process involving a combination of personal, f~al and
socio-cultural factors.
The prment research programme has identified these factors on a national basis, but has also
revealed a striking
similarity of crkical factors on a cross-cultural basis.
The start of juvenile smoking was found to depend very much on the influence of family and
friends, combined
with personal curiosity -- "to see what it was like." Broader cultural factors were also found to be
relevant,
especially in '..he case of Hong Kong and Turkey.
It is quite apparent that becoming a smoker involves a complex developmental process that is
built up not from
one single factor, but from a combination of factors over a considerable period of time.
Advertising has bccn postulated as having a positive bearing on the smoking initiation process,
but CRU's survey
Irmdings show clearly that advertising plays an insignificant role in th~ respect.
Altogether, the factors accounting for smoking initiation are highly consistent internationally,
and were found to
be largely unrelated to the presence or absence of advertising, as affected by a.variety of
government controls.
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BatCo document for PFSFC 1 March 1999

O
TABLE I
OVERALL SMOKING BEHAVIOUR
International Data- Percentages Giving This Answer From Full Sample Aged 7-15 Years
Australia (*) Norway
Spain Hong Canada Argcntina Sweden Switzerland
Turkey
Kong
Total in Numbers 998 998
1016 1003 1012 1008 1021 1093 1000
Never 56% 54% 5 I% 90% 67% 85% 64%
63% 79%
Once 23% 24% 34% 7% 17% 1 I% 23%
23% 6%
Used to 9% 5% 6% !% 5% I% 3%
8% 10%
Occasional 6% 5%
3% -- 3% 2% 4% 4% 2%
....
,J
Regular (**) 5% 10% 4% 1% 8% I%
6% 3% 3%
No Answer I% 2%
2% I% -- -- -- i% I%
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(*) 7-16 year olds were interviewed in Australia.
(**) "Regular smoker" refers to children who smoke at least one cigarette every week.
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TABLE 2
Total in Number5
Never
Onc~
Used to
Occasional
Regular
No Answer
OVERALL SMOKING BEHAVIOUR
Percentages Giving This Answer Among Respondents Aged I1-15 Years
United Kingdom
England
3658
5O%
19%
13%
5%
13%
Wales Scotland
2778 2798
58% 44%
17% 19%
!o% 15%
4% 5%
11% 16%
Australia Norway Spain llong Canada Argentina
11-16 yrs Kong
608 553 558 559 576 417
44% 43% 41% 85% 53% 81%
25% 29% 41% I1% 2O% 12%
13% 8% 6% I% 8% I%
9% 6% ~% -- 5% 3%
9% 13% 7% 3% 15% 3%
-- I% ....
Sweden
611
5O%
29%
4%
6%
10%
Switzerland
638
5O%
29%
IO%
6%
4%
Turkey
560
68%
8%
14%
4%
6%
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TABLE 3
STARTING TO SMOKE
Answers Given To Prompted Reasons For Starting ToSmoke- First Mentions
United
Kingdom
Total in Numbers of those who have
ever smoked
No
Comparable
Question
483
Hong 1
Norway (*) Spain (*) Kong (*) Canada (*) Argentina (*) Sweden (*) Switzerland (*) rurkey (*}
FIRST MOST IMPORTANT REASON
I
491
94
360
163
To see what it was like
All my friends smoked
Someone gave me one
For a dare
I jUSt found one
I was bullied
i had seen advertising
Because parents smoked
Tried to look tough
Tried to show off
l-
Tried to look grown up
Special occasion
Because brother/sister smoked
78%
19%
18%
7%
5%
4%
42O
64%
6%
9%
4%
4%
35%
5%
19%
O%
O%
I%
40%
5%
14%
38%
2%
0%
48%
14%
9%
5%
4%
3%
43%
7%
13%
16%
3%
2%
I%
371
46%
4%
2O%
9%
6%
2%
I% O% o% I% 2% I% I%
N/A
I%
09Io
0%
I%
N/A
NIA
NIA
N/A
N/A
6%
2%
I%
2%
N/A
I%
N/A
I%
2%
3%
31%
N/A
7%
2%
I%
I%
N/A
I%
Australia
(*) All
N/A
N/A
!!%
2%
1%
N/A
N/A
N/A
3%
4%
I%
3%
N/A
N/A
Mentions
4O0 208
54% 34%
12% 16%
13% 10%
8% 7%
4% 3%
I% 6%
2% 1%
2% I%
!% I%
{% 6%
2% 4%
N/A N/A
I% I%
(*) Question Wordings:
Australia: "Can you remember when you tried your first cigarette? Was it for any of these
reasons7"
Norway, Spain, llong Kong, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Argentina, Canada: "These are some (other)
reasons that people have given us as to why they smoked their first cigarette, i would
like you to look through them and decide if any of them had any part in your trying a cigarette.
Tell me which was the most important reason?"
6t,9PI0[09
