Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS): Smoking Report 2015

Report presenting the smoking findings from the 2015 wave of the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS).


4 Attitudes to smoking

Whether it's 'ok' to try smoking

42% of 15 year olds thought it was ok for someone their age to try smoking a cigarette to see what it's like. 13 year olds were much less likely to think it was ok (16%).

The proportion thinking it is ok has declined markedly over time and continued to decline between 2013 and 2015 (Figure 4.1).

15 year old girls were more likely than boys to think it was ok to try smoking. Until 2013, 13 year olds girls were also more likely than boys to think it was ok, but there is now no difference.

Figure 4.1 Trends in the proportion of pupils who think it's ok to try smoking, by age and gender (2006-2015)

Q. Do you think it is ok for someone your age to do the following? Try smoking a cigarette to see what it's like.

Figure 4.1 Trends in the proportion of pupils who think it's ok to try smoking, by age and gender (2006-2015)

Base: all pupils (for full base sizes please see Appendix B)

Views on smoking and its effects

Pupils were given a series of statements about smoking and asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with each [10] .

There were very high levels of agreement with statements about the negative health effects of smoking. Non-smokers were somewhat more likely to agree than regular smokers, but the levels of agreement between the two groups were still very high (Figure 4.2).

Pupils were much less likely to agree with positive statements about smoking. Also, there was more of a difference between non-smokers and regular smokers in relation to these statements, with regular smokers being much more likely to agree (Figure 4.3).

There were very few gender differences.

Figure 4.2 Proportion of 15 year olds who 'strongly agree' or 'tend to agree' with statements about the negative effects of smoking, by smoking status (2015)

Q. Please read the following statements about smoking and say if you agree or disagree with each one.

Figure 4.2 Proportion of 15 year olds who 'strongly agree' or 'tend to agree' with statements about the negative effects of smoking, by smoking status (2015)

Base: 15 year old non-smokers (9,890), 15 year old regular smokers (762)

Figure 4.3 Proportion of pupils who 'strongly agree' or 'tend to agree' with positive statements about smoking (both ages), by smoking status (2015)

Q. Please read the following statements about smoking and say if you agree or disagree with each one.

Figure 4.3 Proportion of pupils who 'strongly agree' or 'tend to agree' with positive statements about smoking (both ages), by smoking status (2015)

Base: 15 year old non-smokers (9,890), 15 year old regular smokers (762)

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