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Calls for action to stub out smoking among poor

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Published Date: 08 August 2008
ANTI-smoking campaigners have called for more to be done to reduce the number of people who smoke in deprived areas.
ASH Scotland was reacting to the 2007 Scottish Household Survey, which highlighted the greater percentage of people who smoke in poorer parts of the country.

Chief executive Sheila Duffy said: "The publication of the 2007 Scottish Household Survey shows a slight decline in the number of people smoking in Scotland down from 25 per cent in 2006 to 24.7 per cent last year.

"However, the relationship between smoking and deprivation is again highlighted, with 43 per cent of people in the most deprived areas lighting up, compared to just 12 per cent in the more affluent.

"The figures clearly demonstrate smoking prevalence declines as deprivation reduces. Although it is good news smoking rates are continuing to fall overall across Scotland, more needs to be done to narrow the gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots' in our society."

Smoking remains the biggest preventable killer in Scotland. Only 46 per cent of smokers say they enjoy good health, compared to 57 per cent of non-smokers.





The full article contains 196 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 August 2008 10:22 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Vandala,

08/08/2008 12:49:06
I much prefer smoking in leafy, affluent middle-class neighbourhoods.
2

Statsman,

Edinburgh 08/08/2008 12:52:46
If ASH cared about poor people, they wouldn't be calling for the increase in price of cigarettes all the time. ASH's policies disproportionately tax the poor compared the rich.

ASH consistently lie about statistical evidence. Furthermore, they cause social exclusion and treat poor people with complete disrespect. They should disband.

They are a disgusting organisation.
3

Statsman,

Edinburgh 08/08/2008 13:04:28


Claim 1. Chief executive Sheila Duffy said: "The publication of the 2007 Scottish Household Survey shows a slight decline in the number of people smoking in Scotland down from 25 per cent in 2006 to 24.7 per cent last year.

Okay Sheila, what is the margin of error of the survey?

Claim 2. Smoking remains the biggest preventable killer in Scotland. Only 46 per cent of smokers say they enjoy good health, compared to 57 per cent of non-smokers.

Is that figure age and deprivation adjusted?

Do you even understand these concepts Sheila? If not, you shouldn't be making press releases.
4

,

08/08/2008 13:16:05
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
5

Urban Guerrilla,

Edinburgh 08/08/2008 13:32:08
How patronising.
6

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

08/08/2008 15:50:10
Sheila Duffy reckons:

"The figures clearly demonstrate smoking prevalence declines as deprivation reduces."

The figures do no such thing. Correlation is not necessarily causation. To show this we'd need a smoking population which got richer and as a result, reduced its smoking.

If anything, the reverse is more likely: people who smoke have less spare money to invest and become relatively poor. Perhaps the effects on their health also cause their income to fall.
7

DeniseX,

08/08/2008 16:34:31
Ash said that banning smoking in the workplace would save 1,000 lives per year and yet:
Total deaths: all causes, all Scotland: April 2005 to March 2006 was 55,006.
Total deaths: all causes, all Scotland: April 2006 to March 2007 was 56,035.
The smoking ban has killed more people.
8

hertscot,

08/08/2008 19:43:51
Remove the POVERTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9

hertscot,

08/08/2008 19:44:51
If passive smoking is so bad, why aren't millions of us who grew up in the 50's, 60's and 70's dead?
10

David from New Mills,

Fug free Pleasantville. 08/08/2008 20:10:50
#8,DeniseX.
Den's claim that smoking restrictions have in some way "killed more people" is banal in the extreme, as without some analysis of the causes of death and the total populations as at the beginning and end of the two periods, such a claim per se is sheer nonsense. Perhaps Den could try again?
11

David from New Mills,

Fug free Pleasantville. 08/08/2008 20:22:25
#7, A Friend of Fernando Poo.
FoFp seems to be arguing against his own case, as it is generally the better off, and dare I say it, the better educated who smoke least. Smoking seems to be largely the curse of the manual and lowly paid classes, as epitomised in John Reid's ( Remember him? )statement about smoking being one of life's only few forms of comfort in "bucket" council estates.
12

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 08/08/2008 23:48:35

An infringement of 'social culture'!

One will,..'Laugh in their Face'!

Whilst doing so, they will pass the 'smokes' round!
13

Riverkidca,

Canada 09/08/2008 04:49:08
#10
Because we didn't know it was such a "killer"
Now that we do, people are worrying themselves to death and tripping over each other trying to avoid the dreaded carcinogenic fumes. For 10 years i was exposed to 'baccy smoke, then took it up myself & have been at it for 58 years with no noticable ill effects...go figger!
14

Thomas Laprade,

Thunder Bay, Ont, Canada 09/08/2008 05:08:04
Politicians love to control and manipulate our behaviour. They are in office to serve us, not the other way around.
Preventable deaths??
No rules or regulations can prevent death. You can postpone death butt never prevent it.
If a person can prevent death then a person would become immortal.

http://smokersclubinc.com
http://pasan.thetruthisalie.com
www.ventilatedsmokingrooms.ca
15

Musician,

United States 09/08/2008 13:24:34
All I had to see was the word ASH in the story to see that no good could come from it.

Here's some stuff from their website.

http://ash.org/letter.html

GENOCIDE was the first and most important crime against humanity that was to be wiped out by International Law at the Nuremberg Trials. Too many countries have violated this law over too many years.

We need to have an INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CORPS under the UN to promptly stop the act of Genocide on an emergency basis.

If that's not enough, go to their front page to see what's up their sleeves.

It is past time for John Banzhaf to get a real job instead of his continual ambulance chasing.
Now it looks like he is working on world domination.
No surprises there concerning that megalomaniac.



 

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