The share of teenage smokers in Germany has halved during the past decade, according to a government study which was released last Friday.

The Federal Centre for Health Education (FCHE) reveals in its Drug Affinity Study that 11.7 per cent of 12 to 17-year-olds were smoking regularly last year. This compares to 28 per cent of youngsters in this age group who identified themselves as smokers in 2001.
The share of adolescent smokers between 18 and 25 years of age has decreased from 44.5 per cent in 2001 to 36.8 per cent in 2011, while the share of those who have never smoked a cigarette increased from 23.1 per cent to 27.6 per cent in the same period. Amongst the 12 to 17-year-olds 70.8 per cent said  in 2011 that they have never smoked, up from 40.5 per cent in 2001.
The FCHE explains this drop in smoking rates partly with smoking prevention measures such as the "smoke free" campaign that began in 2003.
The study also analysed the consumption of alcolhol anc cannabis amongst adolescents, which has, however, has not changed significantly.
The FCHE has been conducting the Drug Affinity Study for the past three decades. (pi)