Campaign to slash smoking population
A NEW policy launched by NHS North Lincolnshire hopes to stub-out smoking by slashing the region's smoking population to only 15 per cent by 2015.
The North Lincolnshire Tobacco Control Strategy for 2009-2011 will be focusing on the '15 by 15' vision in a bid to cut the percentage of smokers in the region – which is currently at 27 per cent and higher than the national average of 22 per cent.
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Director of Public Health in North Lincolnshire, Dr Andrew Furber, said a lot of work would be needed if the plan was to meet its target.
"At the moment on average, smoking is declining by one per cent a year," he said.
"To reduce the number of smokers to 15 per cent of the population by 2015 is an ambitious target, but we hope to achieve it."
According to findings from the 2007/08 Adolescent Lifestyle Survey conducted in North Lincolnshire, eight per cent of boys and 10 per cent of girls aged 11-15 smoke weekly or daily.
This is higher than the national average of five per cent of boys and eight per cent of girls.
As a result, a large part of the control strategy and action plan, which will be overseen by the North Lincolnshire Smokefree Alliance, will aim to help young people say no to tobacco by 2011.
Dr Furber said: "Once people are over 20 years old, they are unlikely to take up smoking, so through educating children via our healthy schools program and advice we offer at secondary school, we hope to manage that."
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4 Comments
by Phil Johnson, Leicester
Monday, May 25 2009, 6:10AM
“Two things amaze me with this anti smoking crusade:
a) the anti's seem not to care a jot about each individuals freedom of choice...!
b) if there is no revenue from tobacco sales, who are going to be the first to scream when income tax is raised by £/30p to make up for the £12bn per year lost revenue?
90% of these so called 'do-gooders' haven't got the brains they were born with and cannot look to the future with any degree of normality or they would soon realise that a nation of non smokers will only create huge unemployment and massive tax rises. This government are bankrupt now so God help furture generations! Every major Bingo Hall that closes costs the gov't another £780,000 in lost revenue + unemployment benefits and everything that goes with that situation. Every pub and club closing creates more financial stress on the purse strings so if you want to march merrily into financial oblivion-carry on you fools!”
by chas, Little Britian
Friday, May 22 2009, 2:56PM
“The smoking rate was tumbling for decades. With all the talk of smoking and smoking bans, the smoking rate has increased. This has made smoking attractive again. If everybody was to stop making a fuss about smoking the rate would fall again.”
by tug wilson, notts
Friday, May 22 2009, 2:22PM
“when are they going to learn,smoking is a choice people make,prohibition like the smoking ban does not work,since the 2007 smoke-free regulations was forced onto the public smoking rates have gone UP not down, the smoking ban has almost killed off our Hospitality Industry,forced thousands out of work and onto the dole and cost this country millions in lost revenue and still is,NRT has a 98.4% failure rate and costs the taxpayer millions,instead of the smokefree alliance and talking about Control lets have a freedom of choice alliance that lets All people have a choice smoker and non smoker alike,that would be more like a free country again.”
by soapy, Rainworth
Friday, May 22 2009, 12:41PM
“Residents are reminded that every pound spent on this is a pound less spent on keeping you safe at home, or on the street money the police can use, it endangers you a severy pound spent on this is one pound less spent on fire /rescue services, on roads, rubbish collection.
Every pound thrown away on a battle that can never be won increases your taxation, encourages further incursions on your liberty, what next, burger vans? Mcdonalds? Hide the alcohol in off licences? Does anyone wish to have a life dictated by government, to have to stay home because to go out means breaking a dozen laws? Look around you, everything you do is monitered , signs everywhere telling you what you cannot do Is this the life you want, for you, your children and your grandchildren?
Your pubs are dying before your eyes, you pay more tax for fewer services and they want to waste your money on a battle they have already lost.
Of course it is your money, spend it how you will but if you want better services, safer streets think long and hard before allowing this.”