Adult smoking rates

• More than a million adults in Scotland smoked in 2005/06
  Source: Taulbut, M., Gordon,D. and McKenzie,K. Tobacco smoking in Scotland: an epidemiology briefing [online] 2009. NHS Health Scotland and Scottish Public Health Observatory [online] Available from: http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Publications/scotphoreports/pub_tobaccobriefing.asp [accessed 6 January 2010] 

• Smoking among adults has gradually declined from 30.7% in 1999 to 25.2% in 2008.
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
   

Surveys

Surveys vary in their methodology, sample size, and in the age ranges they cover, and their results may not be directly comparable.

• The Scottish Health Survey (to date conducted in 1995, 1998, 2003 and 2008 results published in 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2009 respectively) offers the most robust statistical analysis of adult smoking rates in Scotland based on sample size. It is restricted to the age range 16-74. 
• The ONS General Household Survey data gives a longer timescale for identifying trends, and allows for a comparison with overall smoking prevalence in Great Britain. 
• The Scottish Household Survey (2007/08 results were published in August 2009) aims to give early detection of national trends.

Men

• 26% of men in Scotland smoke
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
• 32% of men in Scotland aged 25-34 years old smoke
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
• 34% of men in Scotland who smoke, smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scottish health survey - 2008 [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28102003/0 [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 24% of men in Scotland  who smoke, smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scottish health survey - 2008 [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28102003/0 [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 33% of men across the United Kingdom who smoke, smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day               
  Source: Office for National Statistics. Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, 2008/09 [online]  2009.  Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/smoking2008-9.pdf [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 29% of men across the United Kindgdom who smoke, smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day                    
  Source: Office for National Statistics. Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, 2008/09 [online]  2009.  Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/smoking2008-9.pdf [accessed 6 January 2010]  

Women

• 25% of women in Scotland smoke
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
• 28% of women in Scotland aged 25-34 years old smoke
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
• 28% of women in Scotland who smoke, smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scottish health survey - 2008 [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28102003/0 [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 30% of women in Scotland who smoke, smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scottish health survey - 2008 [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/28102003/0 [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 24% of women across the United Kingdom who smoke, smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day     
  Source: Office for National Statistics. Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, 2008/09 [online]  2009.  Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/smoking2008-9.pdf [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 36% of women across the United Kingdom who smoke, smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day          
  Source: Office for National Statistics. Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, 2008/09 [online]  2009.  Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/smoking2008-9.pdf [accessed 6 January 2010]    
  

Pregnancy and New Mothers

• 20.8% of pregnant women in Scotland smoke at booking
  Source: ISD Scotland. Births and babies. [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/2911.html [accessed 6 January 2010]
• 20.0% of mothers in Scotland smoked at the health visitor’s first visit
  Source: ISD Scotland. Births and babies. [online] 2009. Available from: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/2911.html [accessed 6 January 2010]  
   

Social Inequalities

Adults

• 42% of adults in the 15% most deprived areas of Scotland say thay are current smokers, compared to 23% in the rest of Scotland.
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]
• The proportion of adults who smoke declines steadily as deprivation declines, from 45% in the most deprived 10% of areas to just 11% in the least deprived 10%.
  Source: The Scottish Government. Scotland's people - annual report: results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/07100738/0 [accessed  6 January 2010]

UK comparisons

(*figures for 1998-2002 are weighted data)

(Source: National Statistics 2004. Living in Britain: Results from the 2002 General Household Survey. Chapter 8. [online] The Stationery Office: London. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/lib2002/downloads/smoking.pdf [accessed 21 June 2005])