28% of smoker parents refuse to quit

MORE than a quarter of Irish parents refuse to quit the weed despite evidence that it is more likely their children will take up the deadly habit.

The research, published yesterday by the Health Service Executive (HSE), shows that of the 48% of current or past smokers, 62% had parents who both smoked while 78% grew up in a house where either parent was a smoker.

A breakdown of the 52% of non-smokers shows that 60% had one parent who smoked whereas 40% had parents who did not smoke.

The study, part of the HSE’s new campaign to help smokers quit, found that only half of smokers with children would be “very likely” to stop smoking if they felt their habit would encourage their kids to smoke. A further 23% said they would be “somewhat likely”.

But 28% said they were not likely to give up smoking even though this might encourage their children to smoke.

The research also found that almost 70% of smokers began smoking before they were 18 years old, with almost 20% starting before they were 14. It also reveals that 55% of current or past smokers said their mother strongly disapproved of their smoking, compared to 43% of fathers. Around one in 10 said their parents approved of their smoking.

HSE director of public health, Dr Fenton Howell, stressed the single most important thing a parent could do to protect their health and that of their children was to quit.

A new smoking cessation website, www.giveupsmoking.ie, has been developed, while a hard-hitting TV ad showing how children are easily influenced by their parents’ smoking was screened for the first time yesterday as part of the campaign.