A SURVEY completed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services shows more young people are heavily involved in smoking tobacco.
The survey is called Global Youth Tobacco Control Survey (GYTCS).
It was carried out amongst 13-15 year old students.
GYTCS is an international comparable survey conducted in more than100 countries.
Health Minister Clay Forau announced these alarming figures when he tabled the Tobacco Control Bill 2010 in Parliament yesterday.
He said the survey shows that 41.2% of students have ever smoked.
"24.2% (1 in 4) students currently smoke while the global average is 10% (1 in 10).
"Our kids smoke 2.5 times than the rest of the world," he said.
Mr Forau said 23.4% (1 in 4) students currently use other tobacco products.
"To make it things even worse, 25.6% (1 in 4) are likely to initiate smoking within a year if nothing is done now," he said.
On top of these, Mr Forau said 79.2% (8 in 10) students are exposed to smoke from others at public places.
He said 70.5% (7 in 10) students saw advertisement for cigarettes in the past month.
"17.2% (1 in 5) have an object with a cigarette or tobacco logo on it.
"In total, 87.7% (9 in 10) are exposed to direct or indirect advertisement and promotion," he said.
Mr Forau said experiences from around the world have shown total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is the only effective way to save 'our youth from this deadly product'.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
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