Rich and poor gulf in Edinburgh 'smoking map'

Published on Monday 7 April 2008 10:22

ALMOST half of residents in some of Edinburgh's most deprived areas are addicted to cigarettes, compared to fewer than one-in-ten elsewhere in the city.

A new "smoking map" today highlights the huge gulf in smoking rates between Edinburgh's poorer and more affluent communities.

&#149 View "smoking map" of city

The report, compiled by NHS Lothian, sparked calls for communities like Muirhouse and Niddrie to get more services to help people kick the habit.

Experts believe there are a number of reasons why smoking is more common in deprived areas, including boredom linked to unemployment and a lack of easy access to information on giving up.

High levels of smoking also go hand-in-hand with heavy drinking and drug abuse.

Sheila Duffy, chief executive of ASH Scotland, said: "The fact is, cigarettes are available on every street corner.

"We want smoking cessation services to be the same. Evidence-based advice and nicotine replacement therapy can quadruple your chance to quit.

"But these have to be readily available to people."

Today's report highlights Muirhouse as Edinburgh's smoking blackspot, where almost one-in-two residents are smokers. In comparison, fewer than one-in-ten in Murrayfield and Ravelston admit to the habit.

A total of 43.8 per cent of people in Greendykes and Niddrie Mains smoke, compared to just 10.3 per cent in Fairmilehead.

Prestonpans, Mayfield and Whitburn Central, have the highest level of smokers in East, Mid and West Lothian respectively.

Experts say that, while teenagers in affluent areas are just as likely to try smoking as those in deprived ones, they are far more likely to give up by the time they become adults.

And habits are often passed on from parents to children.

Councillor Allan Jackson, who represents the Forth ward, which includes Muirhouse, admitted he was shocked at the prevalence of smoking in his area.

"I used to smoke myself, but I stopped in 1984," he said. "Cigarettes don't do anyone any good, full stop, and anything that can be done to encourage people to stop, so much the better."

"If extra resources have to be targeted or diverted then so be it."

Helena Connelly, stop smoking co-ordinator at NHS Lothian, said the health board was committed to helping people give up.

"We have a team of stop smoking advisers who tailor support to meet individual needs.

"These include open access clinics, where people can call in without an appointment, in community centres, social clubs and local health centres.

"We have also trained several dozen community pharmacists to provide one-to-one stop smoking support. By the end of the month, 93 pharmacy outlets will be providing a nicotine replacement therapy service."

&#149 www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

&#149 www.ashscotland.org.uk