Alarm at rise in schoolgirl smoking (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Alarm at rise in schoolgirl smoking
by The Herald (United Kingdom) via NewsEdge
Date: Monday, 5/31/99

The Herald (United Kingdom) via NewsEdge Corporation : The number of
15-year-old girls who smoke on a daily basis has doubled in the last eight
years, to almost 25%, according to a report published by the University of
Edinburgh's Research Unit in Health and Behavioural Change.

It reveals that while only 12% of that age group in Scotland smoked in
1990, the figure had reached 24% by 1998.

The alarming increase has prompted anti-smoking groups to call for the
Scottish Parliament to introduce an urgent ban on smoking advertising
north of the Border. Experts believe tobacco manufacturers have targeted
young girls by promoting smoking as both glamourous and slimming.

Across the country, 5000 children aged between 11 and 15 were surveyed,
with results also showing that 19% of 11-year-old girls had tried smoking,
compared to just 12% in 1990.

Anti-smoking campaign group Ash Scotland believes adverts for brands of
cigarettes labelled 'light' or 'slim' have been particularly successful
with the teenage girls.

<<The Herald (United Kingdom) -- 05-10-99>>


        
        [Copyright 1999, The McCarthy Files (Financial Times)]