The table compares the percentage of male and female smokers aged between 15 and 20 in Britain from 1970 to 2000.
Overall, the proportion of smokers increased steadily for both genders until the late 1980s or early 1990s, after which it declined gradually. Males generally had a higher smoking rate than females throughout the period, although the figures became very similar by the end of the survey.
In 1970, 10% of young males smoked, compared with only 5% of females. Over the following decade, the percentage for males rose sharply to 22% in 1975 and then to 35% in 1980. Female smoking rates also increased during the same period, although at a slower pace, reaching 13% and 22% respectively.
By 1985, the proportion of male smokers peaked at 37%, while the figure for females climbed to 34%. In 1990, female smoking reached its highest point at 37%, slightly overtaking males at 36%. After that, smoking rates for both sexes declined steadily. Male smoking fell to 30% in 1995 and then to 28% in 2000. Similarly, the percentage of female smokers decreased from 32% to 27% over the same period.
Overall, the data shows that smoking became increasingly common among young people until around 1990 before gradually becoming less popular afterwards.