scotPHO introduction:
  Alcohol
  Diet & Nutrition
  Drugs
  Multiple Risk Factors
  Physical Activity
  Sexual Health
  Tobacco Use
Key points
  Introduction
  Policy context
  Data
  Key data sources
  Key references and evidence
  Useful links
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Tobacco use: key points

Public health implications

  • Smoking is the most important preventable cause of ill-health and premature death in Scotland.  Every year there are more than 13,000 smoking-related deaths.
  • The risk of developing smoking-related diseases increases with how long and how much someone has smoked.  These risks fall substantially if smoking is stopped, even for long-term smokers.
  • Second-hand smoke represents a substantial public health hazard.  Each year in Scotland, as many as 1,500-2,000 deaths among lifelong non-smokers and ex-smokers could be related to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
  • The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act came into force on 26 March 2006, banning smoking in enclosed public places such as workplaces, pubs and restaurants.
  • On 1 October 2007 the minimum purchase age for tobacco was increased from 16 to 18 in both Scotland and England and Wales.

Adult smoking

  • The most recent estimates of smoking prevalence among adults in Scotland are that 24.7% of adults (26% of men and 24% of women) aged 16 years and over were cigarette smokers in 2007. This suggests that there are over 1 million adult smokers in Scotland.
  • Over the past 30 years, smoking prevalence among adults has generally been higher in Scotland than in both England and Wales.
  • Scotland compares favourably to other European Union countries in terms of male adult smoking prevalence, but the position in relation to females is less favourable.

Maternal smoking

  • 20.9% of pregnant women (around 11,400) were recorded as smoking during pregnancy in 2007.

Young people smoking

  • The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) suggests that more girls than boys smoke. The 2006 survey estimated that 18% of 15-year-old girls and 12% of 15-year-old boys were regular smokers.
  • Scotland compares favourably to other European Union countries in terms of smoking prevalence among 15-year-old boys.  The picture is less favourable for 15-year old girls.

 

Section updates:

  • The last major update of this section was completed in March 2009.  
  • The next major update is due to be carried out by end March 2010.