Tobacco has become easy to be found thanks to its availability in shops and supermarkets, making it easily accessible to underage consumers. Whereas years ago, tobacco could only be bought in tobacconists’ shops and required an ID card, young people now send their friends to buy tobacco or buy it in foreign-owned supermarkets.
The statistics are worrying: 21% of 14-18 year olds use vapers, while 14% use bongs and 13% smoke cigarettes. One in four underage teenagers use e-cigarettes on a regular basis. This is worrying, as the average age of first contact with tobacco is 14, but some young people have started using nicotine at the age of 11 or even earlier, mostly with vapers. If adolescents did not have such easy access to nicotine, the average age of consumption would increase.
