Almost half of young people with a mental ill-health diagnosis are smokers, study reveals

Despite Ireland being hailed for enacting the world’s first indoor smoking ban, 20 years on, young adults have a far higher smoking rate than any other age group.

The research carried out with nearly 5,000 20-year-olds, found 19pc reported a mental ill-health diagnosis, mainly depression or anxiety. This group was 57pc more likely to smoke and 40pc more likely to vape than their peers without a diagnosis.

Professor Luke Clancy, director general of the Tobacco Free Research Institute, said: “We know young adults are higher smokers but we did not know it was so much higher for people with mental health than in the non-mental health population, and this applies both to cigarette and e-cigarette use.”

The consultant respiratory physician, one of the co-authors of the study, said the reasons behind the high smoking rate of young adults are complex.

“We’ve done another paper which shows that being in paid employment is associated with a big increase in smoking.

“That’s partially…

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Independent.ie