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Teen Boys May Be More Likely To Quit Smoking Than Girls

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Among new adolescent smokers, teen boys are more likely to quit than boys, according to a recent study HealthDay reported.

Canadian researchers found that boys were 80 percent more likely to quit than girls. They also found that both boys and girls who are frightened by cigarettes warning labels or play team sports are more likely to discontinue the habit, HealthDay reported.

"Currently, few longitudinal studies identify factors that help or hinder young smokers to stop smoking," Jennifer O'Loughlin, study author and professor in the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Montreal in Canada, said in a statement. "In our study, we learned that male sex, older age, cigarette package warnings, and participation in team sports helped with smoking discontinuation, while family stress, worry about weight, being overweight, illicit drug use, and cravings for cigarettes hindered."

For the study, researchers collected data from more than 600 boys and girls in Montreal, aged 12 and 13, who had recently started smoking at least occasionally. The participants were followed for five years.

Among the cohort, More than 40 percent said their parents smoked, nearly 90 percent had friends who smoked and nearly 80 percent said they often saw their teachers or other school staff smoking.

Over the five-year study period, researchers found that 40 percent of the teens quit smoking. They found teen boys were 80 percent more likely to quit than girls.

The research team also found that older teens were more than 30 percent more likely to quit than younger ones.

According to researchers, factors that reduced the likelihood that teens would quit smoking included family stress, weight concerns, illicit drug use and cravings for cigarettes.

"Overall, these results support that healthy family habits, which include nonsmoking as the norm as well as positive exchange and functioning, will help novice smokers discontinue smoking,"  O'Loughlin said.

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