E-CIGARETTES
NEW LEGISLATION THAT IS DUE TO COME INTO FORCE LATER THIS YEAR WILL MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO SELL E-CIGARETTES TO UNDER-18S, OR TO BUY E-CIGARETTES ON THEIR BEHALF. SP LOOKS AT THE LATEST...
SMOKE SIGNALS
I
n 2013, the Scottish Government’s five-year tobacco control strategy, Creating a Tobacco-Free Generation, set a target to reduce
smoking prevalence in Scotland to five per cent or less by 2034. The Strategy sets out a range of measures to support young people to choose not to smoke, to protect people from second hand smoke and continue to support those who do smoke to quit.
According to the latest report on young people smoking, the measures appear to be working. In fact, the report, which was released in February, showed that smoking amongst thirteen to fifteen year olds is at its lowest level since surveys began.
The report – ‘Tobacco use among 26 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
adolescents in Scotland: profile and trends’ presented analysis of time series data on smoking between 1990, when the survey began, and 2013, showed that:
• Regular smoking is at its lowest level since the survey started. In 2013, this was just two per cent of thirteen year olds, down from a peak of eight per cent in 1998, and nine per cent of fifteen year olds, from a peak of 29 per cent in 1996
• Pupils who live in deprived areas, receive free school meals, who have a smoking parent, or whose parents know little about how they spend their time, are more likely to smoke. Activities associated with being a regular smoker include hanging out
on the street, going to concerts or gigs, and being out most evenings. Pupils with physical health or mental wellbeing issues are also far more likely to smoke
• The direct purchase of cigarettes from shops remained relatively stable until 2008. There were then declines following the age of sale being increased from 16 to 18 and the Tobacco Retailer Register being introduced in 2010
• The proportion,who think it is OK to try a cigarette to see what it is like has declined steadily with time. While knowledge of the serious health impacts of smoking is near universal, some pupils still believe that smoking helps people to cope
with life or relax.
But what role have e-cigarettes played in the fall in the number of young smokers?
In late 2014, the Scottish Government commissioned a survey with a representative sample of secondary school pupils to gather data on:
• their experiences of e-cigarettes in their environment;
• the degree to which adolescents are exposed to the marketing and promotion of e-cigarettes;
• and their knowledge and attitudes in relation to e-cigarettes.
The survey – ‘Young People and
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