More People Trying to Quit Smoking in Scotland

More People Trying to Quit Smoking in Scotland

The Scots are increasingly seeking help to quit smoking, according to new statistics released by the NHS.

Compared to 2008, there was a 35% rise in the number of people trying to stop smoking, with 69,882 people attempting to give up in 2009. Roughly 38% succeeded for a month and 15% managed it for 3 months.

The figures have been described as a significant increase' by Shona Robison, the Public Health Minister.

It appears that those aged between 45 59 are more likely to try and give up, with this age group accounting for 30% of all attempts to quit. Women were also more likely to try and give up than men. 59% of quitters were women.

However, data from previous years showed that only around 7% of those who make the attempt manage to give up for 12 months or more. People who go cold turkey are far less likely to succeed, whereas those who use smoking cessation treatments like nicotine replacement gums or patches or who use the drug Champix have far higher rates of success.

The NHS offers support to smokers, including Champix , patches, gums and counselling, and the figures show that more people have been seeking help - though comparatively, this is still only a small proportion of people who try to stop smoking. 6.5% of the population used an NHS smoking cessation service, compared to 4.8% in 2008.

Ms. Robinson added that each year, the NHS invested 11 million in providing smoking cessation treatments and services to the public. She also said that new legislation coming in would ban the display of cigarettes in shops and their sales in vending machines.

Scotland has a very high smoking rate, though the rates have continuously fallen since 1999. There is a strong correlation between poverty and smoking in the area, with 42% of adults in the most deprived areas of the region smoking, compared to 25.2% of adults overall.

Figures from 2004 showed that nearly a quarter of all deaths in Scotland were attributable to smoking.

Though the under-25s are the least likely to quit, with 9% making the attempt in 2009, Ms. Robinson vowed that the government is trying to prevent young people taking up the habit in the first place.

She said, "We're continuing to do all we can to make cigarettes less attractive and less available and, in particular, stopping children from starting to smoke in the first place."

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