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The smoking
rate across the country
has fallen below 1 in 4.
46,000 people across Scotland tried to quit smoking
last year through smoking
cessation services.
Local Labour MSP Allan
Wilson has welcomed statistics published today which show Scotland’s smoking
ban has inspired more people to stub for good and encouraged thousands to
access smoking cessation services.
The Labour Cunninghame North MSP was speaking on the first anniversary of
the smoking ban which coincided with the release of statistics showing that
46,000 people across Scotland tried to quit smoking last year through
smoking cessation services. The statistics also highlighted that for the
first time the smoking rate across the country had fallen below 1 in 4.
Speaking about the landmark legislation, Allan Wilson said:
“Scottish Labour took one of the most significant step in improve Scotland’s
health with the ban on smoking in public places. It has been an overwhelming
success with over 46,000 people accessing services to try and kick the habit
and the smoking rate falling below 1 in 4 for the first time.
“Labour is now determined to build on this work by introducing cessation
services in secondary schools, raising the smoking age to 18 and ensuring
shops selling tobacco to underagers have their licenses suspended.
“Local people have a choice on 3rd May – more investment to improve
Scotland’s health with Labour or a costly separation and cut in services
with the SNP.”
NOTES:
In Scotland over 13,000 people die every year from tobacco use; the
equivalent of 250 a week or 35 a day.
The Scottish Executive has put in an additional £4 million for smoking
cessation services in 2005/2006, - effectively more than doubling the
funding available to £7 million. New additional funding of £2 million in
2006/07 rising to £4 million in 2007/08 bringing the total available to £11
million.
Adult (16+) Smoking
rates (Source: Scottish Household Survey)
Board % Smk
% Smk % Smk % Smk
% Smk % Smk % Smk
99 00
01 02
03 04
05
Ayrshire
& Arran
34.0 26.8
23.1 27.6
30.2 28.6
26.8
Borders
22.5 23.8
19.4 23.6
24.1 23.5
26.2
Dumfries
& Galloway 29.5 27.4
28.5 27.7
24.7 22.6
27.2
Fife
29.8 32.4
28.2 30.1
30.6 26.4
29.9
Forth Valley 28.4 31.3
30.2 29.0
28.5 25.0
28.2
Grampian 26.9
26.7 24.6
25.6 25.2
25.1 20.3
Greater
Glasgow
& Clyde 32.3
30.7 31.1
31.3 29.6
28.2 27.5
Highland
(New)
26.6 24.1
25.4 26.0
26.3 25.9
22.5
Lanarkshire 34.1 33.5
31.4 28.1
29.6 28.9
29.1
Lothian 30.2
27.0 28.2
26.3 25.1
25.7 24.8
Orkney 19.5
19.4 21.2
21.9 20.9
22.4 17.3
Shetland 26.2
21.4 24.7
20.4 24.1
22.2 20.9
Tayside 30.0
31.0 30.1
27.7 25.3
24.4 26.4
Western
Isles
22.6 24.1
30.8 24.1
26.9 27.0
19.6
SCOTLAND 30.4
29.2 28.4
28.2 27.6
26.5 26.2
Latest statistics show a smoking rate of 24.6 per cent for the first three
quarters of 2006, down from 26 per cent in 2005 – a greater decrease than in
previous years - suggesting that the ban is inspiring people to give up.
Smoking cessation stats are published today at 9.30am at
www.isdscotland.org
Figures on smoking rates are from the 2006 Scottish Household Survey at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16002
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