Although smoking among German teens has declined in recent years, one in five of them (still) smoke according to a new study by the Robert Koch Institute.

Smoking among U.S. teens had also declined in the past decade, but – much to the disappointment of tobacco opponents – tobacco use among teens has remained constant at a level of about 22% in recent years.

Apparently, all the warnings about the dangers of smoking are being ignored by a core group of young people. What can be done to convince them to give up a habit that is ruining their health?

The Worksheet ‘Smoking among German Young People’ includes salient facts from the Robert Koch study and a number of Activities designed to find out more about the reasons young people start and continue smoking.

Excerpt:

SMOKING AMONG GERMAN YOUNG PEOPLE

According to a recent poll carried out by the Robert Koch Institute, 20% of German young people between the ages of 11 and 17 smoke.

Further findings:

They are much more likely to start smoking if their friends smoke. Whether or not their parents smoke is an unimportant factor.

Students of high schools (Gymnasien) smoke much less than do students of other kinds of schools.

The percentage of girls who smoke is almost the same as that of boys, but girls smoke fewer cigarettes.

The average starting age is between 13 and 14 for both sexes.

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