OVER a thousand children aged 11-15 still take up smoking in Bradford every year according to a new report by Imperial College London for Cancer research UK.

And two thirds of those will go on to become daily smokers.

The new analysis of national figures shows that 1,179 children under 15 start smoking in Bradford each year.

According to Bradford Council’s Living Well Team, one of the best ways to stop children smoking is by making your home smoke free and setting an example by quitting smoking.

Children whose parents smoke are nearly three times as likely to become smokers themselves highlighting the importance of making an attempt to quit smoking.

Concerns over high smoking rates in Bradford

Getting support to quit from Bradford Council Living Well team could triple your chances of making a successful attempt. You can contact them on 01274 437700. There is also advice on how to make your home smoke free available on our webpage for families.

Sarah Muckle, Bradford Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable premature death in Bradford killing 795 people a year and 1,179 children a year take up smoking, and that is 1,179 too many.

“We know no parent wants to imagine their child becoming ill unnecessarily now or in the future and quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to protect yourself and them.

“Our Living Well team is working locally to help families to create smokefree homes to make sure that future generations grow up free from addiction and the unnecessary health complications caused by smoking.

“It is especially important in these times as we know smokers are more likely to suffer complications with coronavirus.”

Fewer than one in five adults in the Bradford district still smokes (18.5 per cent) but that means that there are still 73,002 smokers and 795 premature deaths in the district from smoking each year.