One in 10 secondary school pupils are admitting to regular smoking. At the same time, the majority claim to have had their first cigarette before the age of 13, according to the alarming results of a joint survey conducted by the Greek Education and Health Ministries.  

28.088 pupils from middle and senior high schools across the country participated in the survey. 26 percent of the students had smoked at least once. 10 percent of all secondary school students, about 22.000 children, smoke regularly. Most of them said they smoked for the first time before the age of 13 while nearly two out of 10 said they had tried their first puff before the age of 10.