Survey: more youngsters smoking

Updated at 2.45pm: More young people in lower secondary school have taken up smoking, a new survey of 21,000 youngsters released on Tuesday found.

The most alarming rise in smoking was among Form 3 girls. According to the survey, the number has doubled in the past five years to more than 12 per cent this year.

A Council on Smoking and Health spokeswoman urged the Government to ban tobacco advertising as existing controls were ineffective.

She said more counselling services should be provided to prevent young people smoking.