Smoking before the age of 18 increases the risk of developing respiratory symptoms in your 20s, a new study finds.
- Young people who started smoking before the age of 18 are more likely to have respiratory problems.
- The most common symptoms are wheezing, coughing or phlegm.
- The younger the smoker starts and the heavier the tobacco consumption, the higher the risk of respiratory symptoms.
Smokers are aware of the risks of tobacco. But it often seems like a distant problem, especially for the youngest. But a new study presented at the European Respiratory Society congress, which is being held in Vienna until September 11, shows that respiratory problems do not wait decades to appear.
In fact, people who start smoking before age 18 are more likely to have respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing, recurring cough or phlegm, in their 20s.
Young smokers: respiratory problems appear before the age of 30
The researchers followed 3,430 eight-year-olds in northern Sweden. The young volunteers were asked to fill out questionnaires every year until they reached the age of 19. They then completed them one last time at age 28.
22% of participants were daily smokers at some point during the study. Of these tobacco users, 29% started smoking at age 15 or younger, 35% at age 16 or 17, and 35% at age 18 or older.
After taking into account several factors affecting lung health (such as a family history of asthma or growing up with smokers), the team found that smoking cigarettes as a teenager increased the risk of having respiratory symptoms at age 28. Specifically, one pack a day for a year was associated with about a 10% increased risk compared to nonsmokers.
In addition, lighting up before age 18 increased the risk of respiratory symptoms before age 30 by about 80% compared to nonsmokers. Young participants who started smoking when they were adults or later had a risk about 50% higher than those who did not.
Tobacco: we must help young people not to smoke
“This study shows that it does not necessarily take decades to develop respiratory symptoms from smoking. We can already see a significant association in young adults.”explains in a press release Dr Linnea Hedman from Umeå University (Sweden) who presented the work at the professional congress.
The expert says exposure to tobacco smoke at a young age increases the risk of respiratory symptoms because their lungs are still developing and more vulnerable to damage.
“Across Europe and the rest of the world, there are still significant numbers of children and young people who smoke cigarettes. We need regulations and support to help them avoid or quit smoking.”comments Professor Des Cox, member of the European Respiratory Society’s Tobacco Control Committee.
