Under-18 year old callers to New Zealand's Quitline

To investigate the characteristics of under-18 year old callers to New Zealand's Quitline (smoking-cessation telephone counselling service).

Analysis of routinely collected demographic and smoking history characteristics of under-18 year old Quitline callers in 2004 and 2005.

In the 24 months of 2004-2005, 2371 under-18s called Quitline (for the first time) seeking smoking cessation support. Females (58.9%) and teens in their older teen years called most often. Compared with adult callers, there were significantly higher proportions of Maori (32.9% vs 19.6%) and Pacific (5% vs 3.6%) under-18 callers, and fewer European (64.0% vs 74.6%) and 'Other' (6.0% vs 7.1%) callers. Despite similar levels of nicotine dependence in under-18 and adult callers (70.1% vs 71.4% reported smoking within 30 minutes of waking), under-18s were issued nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) half as often (RR=0.51). Under-18s were more likely than adults to register a mobile phone number (48.9% vs 44.4%).

Under-18 year old smokers are under-represented in the Quitline calling population. Maori and Pacific under-18s require further cessation support to avoid exacerbating existing disparities in smoking. Awareness that under-18 nicotine dependence is equivalent to that of adults should lead to improved provision of NRT for adolescents. Initiatives involving mobile phone technology are particularly appropriate for improving access to information and treatment for under-18s. Adolescent tobacco cessation should be accorded greater priority in tobacco control policy, practice, and research.