Alessandro Marcon

We were quite surprised for the marked increase in smoking initiation in young adolescents, in girls from West Europe -- Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland -- the rate of smoking initiation in young adolescents reached the rate observed in late adolescents, age 16 to 20, around year 2005, although for the latter group the rate was declining.

Alessandro Marcon

It was not surprising to see the lowest rates of smoking initiation in North European countries, which are at the forefront of tobacco control policies and research on smoking.

Alessandro Marcon