Fears of Scots health divide as the war on smoking fails poorest

A report by Ash Scotland said that significant progress had been made in cutting overall smoking rates, from 31 per cent of people smoking in 1999 to 24 per cent last year.

But the anti-smoking campaign group warned that in the most-deprived 10 per cent of the country, smoking rates were 45 per cent in 2008, while in the least-deprived areas they were as low as 11 per cent.

The report said smoking remained a major contributor to the low life expectancy in deprived areas, yet a target to reduce smoking in these areas had been abandoned in favour of simply focusing on overall smoking rates.

The Scottish Government said it was doing all it could to reduce the number of smokers in Scotland.

Sheila Duffy, chief executive of Ash Scotland, said the country had become a world leader in tobacco control in the past decade, but its high levels of smoking meant more needed to be done.

"While 13,500 adult deaths are due to smoking every year, and thousands of others suffer smoking related illnesses, we have a duty to reduce the toll tobacco takes on Scotland's public health," she said.

The report found progress had been made to reduce smoking in children - down from 30 per cent of 15-year-olds being regular smokers in 1996 to 15 per cent in 2008. It said a real success was that in 2008, for the first time, a majority (51 per cent) of Scottish 15-year-olds reported never having tried a cigarette.

But Ms Duffy said: "This report shows that within many other groups in our society, measures are not in place for services to be effectively and efficiently targeted where they are needed most.

"In particular, smoking in Scotland's most deprived areas remains a major problem, especially as it is a key contributor to low life expectancy. This is leading to an increasing health inequalities gap which must be addressed."

The report found that the percentage of pregnant women who smoke fell from 29 per cent in 1995 to 19.2 per cent in 2008. But smoking in pregnancy in deprived areas remained at 30 per cent, compared with 6.7 per cent of those living in the least-deprived areas.

Ash Scotland said while smoking rates overall had dropped, it was unlikely that a target to fall to 22 per cent of all adults this year would be met.

It said more support was needed to help people quite smoking.

Ms Duffy said: "Tobacco is still Scotland's biggest preventable killer and it is time to explore new ways to continue to reduce the harm caused by this lethal product.

Changing Habits

• Youth smoking has reduced from a peak of 30 per cent of 15-year-olds being regular smokers in 1996 to 15 per cent in 2008.

• Smoking among young adults aged 16-24 is mixed. After declining in 1999-2004, the figure rose in 2007 and now stands at 28 per cent.

• Adult smoking rates dropped from 31 per cent in 1999 to 24 per cent in 2009.

• In 1972, 47 per cent of people in Scotland smoked.

• More than a million adults in Scotland still smoke today.

• The Scottish Government has a target to cut overall smoking rates to 22 per cent by this year.

•Some 69 per cent of smokers say they would like to quit, but only 34 per cent say they have received an offer to help them quit.

• In Glasgow, where smoking is highest in Scotland, 34 per cent of all deaths in the 35-69 age group are linked to smoking.

• Smoking is highest in the most deprived and excluded groups, including homeless young people (94 per cent), prisoners (79 per cent) and those leaving care (67 per cent).The action taken now will pay dividends in the future."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said:" We are committed to stopping people - particularly young people - from starting to smoke in the first place.

"We will continue to help smokers to quit through the delivery of smoking cessation services that help individuals manage their own health and change their behaviour."