Youth smoking continues to rise
Almost a third of young adults in Scotland smoke
The number of young people smoking in Scotland has returned to a level last seen nearly 10 years ago, according to a report by health officials.
The survey revealed nearly a third of people between 16-24 are smokers.
In 2004 the number of young smokers in Scotland had fallen to just 25% but by 2007 that figure was 31%.
The NHS Health Scotland and Scottish Public Health Observatory study revealed that in the 16 to 19 age group, females are more likely to smoke - while the highest rates are found among young offenders and care leavers.
In the 16-19 age group, young women generally have higher smoking rates than young men. In the 20-24 age group, male rates exceed female rates.
In 2006, 28% of 16-24 year olds in Scotland were regular smokers: an estimated 166,000 young adults.
Some specific groups in the population have much higher smoking rates than the average. Four in five young offenders smoke - 2000 young adults - and two thirds of care leavers - 1000 young people a year.
more proof prohibition does not work.
it just makes smoking seem more of a 'forbidden fruit' and increases the trend among people particularly the young to see it as a 'cool' and 'rebellious' thing to do.
laws such as this often have reverse effects the government and its apologists would do good to remember the law of unintended consequences.
yet still the government is pushing for more bans ,more laws regulating tobacco and alcohol.
they don't seem to acknowledge this policy isn't working.they seem to just have their heads in the sands on this one.they want to 'normalise' smoking ,politician double speak for engineering a atmosphere for stigmatising people for there habit.ministers seem absolutely sure of there right to push there agendas on all of us and for us to conform to the non smoking 'perfect citizen' model.this is health fascism.this further shows the disastrous effect of letting special interest groups dominate policy and the effect this has of fragmenting society into those who weld the law against the smokers and the oppressed smokers themselves.
the government wants to drastically reduce smoking by 2012 but it wouldnt dare ban smoking
and of course it has a vested interest in making sure smoking rates don't fail too fast the tax revenue's it generates for the state is just too vast.
in 2008 the fascists now sport dietary healthy eating charts and do yoga, instead of swastikas and jack boots. this may seem like an exaggeration but its all heading that way ,yes you may enjoy your 'guilty pleasures' right now like chocolate and caffeine and 'unhealth food' but how long is it till they clamp down on those too.
Friday, 19 December 2008
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