The table illustrates the percentage of British smokers in both sex among 15 and 20 years old from 1970 to 2000.
Overall, there was a dramatic increase in the proportion of smoker during the provided period. At the beginning, males smoking doubled that of female. At the end of the period, the figures of both genders were similar.
From 1970 to 1985, British men smoked more than women did. In the detail, in 1970, 10% of men smoking which was double that of women (5%). Then, the percentage of male smoking continued to increase sharply, reaching the top at 37% in 1985. In 1990, it experienced a slight decrease by 1%. Then, this figure steadily declined, standing at 28% by 2000.
Meanwhile, in 1970, there was only 5% women smoking in Britain. The proportion of female smoking significantly jumped, peaking at 37% in 1990 which was seven times more than that in 1970. Likewise, in 1995, the women started to witness a decrease in remaining 10 years. Between 1990 and 2000, there was a decline to 5% in compare with the five previous years.
