Statistics released yesterday on the occasion of Youth Tobacco Free Day have revealed that 6 per cent of males and around 8 per cent of females aged to 14 to 19 years smoke daily.

This year's Youth Tobacco Free Day aims on the economic costs that smokers have to incur and inspiring teenagers to diverting their minds to other things on which they could spend their savings on.

Joy Jung, from Cancer Council Queensland, said the figures released tell us the reality the kids need to face, and to make them realize the need of the hour, which is to inform young people about the alarming costs of smoking.

Jung said, "Tobacco remains one of the greatest causes of preventable deaths and illness and is a cause of many types of cancer, including lung, mouth and throat cancers".

Ms. Jung explained that a packet of cigarettes costs about $13.50, which means that, on an average, a heavy smoker can spend almost $5000 every year on his fix.

Smokers who want to make a change in their lives by quitting can call the Quitline on 13 QUIT (137848).