Nearly half of young adults with mental health issues smoke cigarettes, study finds
Young people with mental-health diagnoses are 57 percent more likely to smoke than comparators without a psychiatric conditions
Nearly half of young adults with a mental health diagnosis smoke, a shocking new study has found.
Ireland pioneered the world’s first smoking ban – but 20 years on, we have a much higher rate of youth smoking than any other age group.
Research on nearly 5,000 young adults found that one in five (19 percent) reported a mental ill-health diagnosis, mainly depression or anxiety.
The study found they were 57 percent more likely to smoke and 40 percent more likely to vape than their peers without a psychiatric diagnosis.
READ MORE: Three new Lotto millionaires with lucky tickets sold in Dublin and Laois
READ MORE: Gardai launch desperate search for child amid fears their death has been covered up
Research found that 47 percent of 20-year-olds with mental health problems smoked tobacco, compared to 36 percent of their peers. The data showed 12 percent of the young adults with a psychiatric diagnosis smoked and vaped compared to nine percent without a diagnosis.
Consultant respiratory physician Professor Luke Clancy said the research uncovers the “extremely high” rate among those with mental health diagnoses.
He added: “We know young adults are higher smokers but we did not know that it was so much higher for people with mental health than in the non-mental health population. And this applies both to cigarettes and e-cigarettes to use.”
He said the figures on dual use also showed “most people who use e-cigarettes also smoke cigarettes”, adding: “We also know if you use e-cigarettes as a child, you’re more likely to smoke.”
Inequalities in Smoking and E-Cigarette Use in Young Adults With Mental Ill-Health, 20 Years After Ireland’s Smoking Ban has just been published.
The study states: “There is need in Ireland for new targeted interventions to reduce health inequalities for left-behind young smokers with mental ill-health.”
It found females were less likely to smoke or vape than male counterparts. Prof Clancy said Ireland lags behind other countries when it comes to tackling e-cigarette use with a high rate of vaping compared to smoking in 15- and 16-year-olds.
He added: “One of the big reasons for that is that the government didn’t bring in any restriction on age until December ’23. Now they’re banning them up to 21 [years] and they’re also going to restrict them in other ways, so they’re getting their act together. The plans are good. I’ve been asking for them since 2014. It’s 10 years wasted in my books.”
Prof Clancy also warned that nicotine alters brain development forever in children. He said: “The effect in kids is dramatic, and they’re not as attuned, and they have more learning problems, and they have more sleep problems, and they are more likely to smoke.”
Earlier this month, the Cabinet rubber-stamped draft legislation to ban the sale of disposable vapes. The Bill will make Ireland the first country in the EU to set a minimum legal age for sale of tobacco products at 21. From September 23, outlets caught selling vapes or tobacco products at kids’ events face on-the-spot fines of €2,000.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he also plans to regulate advertising, licensing and vending machines.
Sign up to the Irish Mirror's daily newsletter here and get breaking news and top stories direct to your inbox
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
