Public health campaigners call for urgent ‘joined-up’ action to tackle the tobacco epidemic

Today Scottish Government published the Scottish Health Survey 2018 which shows that smoking prevalence rates across Scotland have flat-lined and there has been a concerning increase (5%) in the number of smokers in Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.  The latest figures also show a slight rise (2%) in the smoking rate amongst young people (aged 16-24).

Commenting on the smoking prevalence figures in the Scottish Health Survey, ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said:

“It’s disappointing to see that the overall smoking prevalence rate across Scotland has stopped falling. However, what I find particularly alarming about these new figures is the reported increase in the number of smokers in Scotland’s most deprived communities – up 5% since last year.  This means that people living in the most difficult circumstances are increasingly burdened by the health and financial harms caused by tobacco. 

While Scotland faces many public health challenges, smoking remains the single biggest avoidable cause of death in Scotland, killing more than 9,000 people in Scotland annually.  This is an invisible epidemic which disproportionately affects the poorest people in society. That’s why we’re calling for tobacco to be recognised as the major public health epidemic that it is, and for urgent action to tackle it.

ASH Scotland is calling on Scottish Government to take a joined-up approach to health-harming substances and include a focus on tobacco as part of their renewed focus on drug and alcohol services.”