Written Question · S2W-21010 · Session 2
What percentage of young people have (a) been smokers between the ages of 12 and 15, (b) fallen pregnant between the ages of 13 and 15 year…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of young people have (a) been smokers between the ages of 12 and 15, (b) fallen pregnant between the ages of 13 and 15 years and (c) committed suicide in (i) Scotland and (ii) the (1) West Dunbartonshire and (2) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997.
The answer
The Executive is taking a number of actions aimed at reducing smoking in young people. These include considering the evidence for raising the age for purchasing tobacco from 16 to 18 years old; reviewing prosecution policy to allow evidence obtained by test purchasing to be admissible in court; working with retailers to raise their awareness of their legal responsibilities on age-related sales, and smoking cessation pilots offering advice and support to young people on stopping smoking.
However, one of the main factors in smoking prevention for young people will be the introduction of the smoke-free public places legislation in March 2006. This will help de-normalise smoking in Scottish society and help protect them from the health risks associated with second-hand smoke.
The Executive is committed to reducing the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies within the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility. The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee is supporting implementation of the national strategy with the involvement of both statutory and voluntary agencies working in the sexual health field. Local initiatives are for NHS boards to plan within their own sexual health strategies.
The Executive’s Choose Life suicide prevention strategy and action plan was launched in December 2002 and identified young people as a priority group for action. Each local authority area in Scotland has its own Choose Life Action Plan, including East and West Dunbartonshire. Full details of each plan can be viewed on www.chooselife.net.
(a) Smokers between the ages of 12 and 15
The information for smokers between the ages of 12 and 15 is given in table 1, which shows regular smoking by age and by gender for the survey years between and including 1996-2004 at national level. The proportion of young people smoking regularly in Scotland has been provided since 1982.
Information on young people smoking in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire is shown in table 2. Local level information is only available for 2002. However, new local data will be available in early 2007.
Information on other categories of smoking i.e.: tried once, occasional and ex‑smoker, is available at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus.htm.
Table 1: Percentage of Regular Smokers1 by Age and Gender for the Survey Years Between and Including 1996-2004, Scotland
| 1996
| 1998
| 20002
| 2002
| 20043
Boys
|
|
|
|
|
12 years
| 5
| 3
| 2
| _ 4
| _
13 years
| 8
| 9
| 5
| 6
| 5
14 years
| 21
| 14
| 12
| _
| _
15 years
| 30
| 25
| 15
| 16
| 14
However, one of the main factors in smoking prevention for young people will be the introduction of the smoke-free public places legislation in March 2006. This will help de-normalise smoking in Scottish society and help protect them from the health risks associated with second-hand smoke.
The Executive is committed to reducing the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies within the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility. The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee is supporting implementation of the national strategy with the involvement of both statutory and voluntary agencies working in the sexual health field. Local initiatives are for NHS boards to plan within their own sexual health strategies.
The Executive’s Choose Life suicide prevention strategy and action plan was launched in December 2002 and identified young people as a priority group for action. Each local authority area in Scotland has its own Choose Life Action Plan, including East and West Dunbartonshire. Full details of each plan can be viewed on www.chooselife.net.
(a) Smokers between the ages of 12 and 15
The information for smokers between the ages of 12 and 15 is given in table 1, which shows regular smoking by age and by gender for the survey years between and including 1996-2004 at national level. The proportion of young people smoking regularly in Scotland has been provided since 1982.
Information on young people smoking in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire is shown in table 2. Local level information is only available for 2002. However, new local data will be available in early 2007.
Information on other categories of smoking i.e.: tried once, occasional and ex‑smoker, is available at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus.htm.
Table 1: Percentage of Regular Smokers1 by Age and Gender for the Survey Years Between and Including 1996-2004, Scotland
| 1996
| 1998
| 20002
| 2002
| 20043
Boys
|
|
|
|
|
12 years
| 5
| 3
| 2
| _ 4
| _
13 years
| 8
| 9
| 5
| 6
| 5
14 years
| 21
| 14
| 12
| _
| _
15 years
| 30
| 25
| 15
| 16
| 14
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-21010 by reference.