Fag ends' beginnings

The children of single mothers are more likely to smoke as young adults than those who are brought up by both parents, researchers have found. The findings by a team in the department of economics at the University of Essex, based on data gathered in Germany, suggest that growing up in such circumstances can raise children's stress levels and lower their self-esteem, increasing the allure of smoking. The study analysed information about the lives of 2,500 young adults collected over a 22-year period.