By Professor John Robertson, OBA

In the Herald, today:

The Secretary of State for Scotland has said UK Government proposals to gradually increase the age at which people can buy tobacco “will save lives” in Scotland.  Speaking ahead of the Tobacco and Vapes bill being debated at Westminster tomorrow, Ian Murray said the plans offer a chance to show how a “reset in relationships” between the UK and Scottish Governments can make a difference to peoples lives in Scotland. 

^{https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24746978.tobacco-restriction-plans-will-save-lives-scotland/}

Not being mentioned, of course:

From The Scottish Health Survey 2023 – volume 1: main report, published today, the above graph reveals a marked fall in the percentage of children exposed to second-hand smoke in their own homes.¹

In 2016,  the SNP Government, made it illegal to smoke in a vehicle carrying anyone under 18.²

In 2022, the SNP Government made it an offence to smoke with in 15 meters of an NHS hospital building.³

In 2022, only 15% of Scots smoked compare to 28% in 2003.⁴

The above and other initiatives over the last 17 years will have contributed to this fall in exposure in the home as smoking becomes a minority and unfashionable practice.

Sources:

1. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2023-volume-1-main-report/pages/13/
2. https://www.gov.scot/news/smoking-in-cars-with-children/
3. https://ashscotland.org.uk/learn/the-law-on-smoking/#:~:text=Smoke%2Dfree%20perimeter%20legislation%20was,of%20an%20NHS%20hospital%20building.
4. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2021-volume-1-main-report/pages/12/#:~:text=2021%2C%20by%20sex-,7.2.,years%20or%20older%20(2%25).

Also, being ignored by the ‘Scottish’ media:

Encouraging research reveals Scotland not ‘worst in world’ for teen drinking and smoking but England might be

In the Guardian in April 2024, there’s some pretty bad news in the above graph regarding England’s 15 year-old girls, with a sharp increase from 2018 in the percentage having smoked. There’s some but far less so for Scotland, as our 15 year-old boys and girls, reveal a slight fall to stay significantly below the average in this WHO survey of 280 000 children in 48 countries .

For alcohol consumption by 13 year-old boys, the picture in Scotland is very positive with a significant fall from 2018 in the percentage having drunk alcohol. For girls there is a disturbing increase but the level remains below the survey average and significantly below the level in England.

How will our taxpayer-funded public service broadcaster with a royal charter obliging it to inform us, BBC Scotland, cover this news? A bit like the Daily Mail or the Sun, as you’ll see below.

BBC England – England tops chart:

Covered but in a restrained manner?

BBC Scotland – Scotland worst in the world:

Once more, the self-loathing, rotten cherry-picking of data to make Scots seem like they couldn’t run the show by themselves. Here’s what they say about alcohol use:

In terms of drinking alcohol, the Scottish figures are marginally lower than the rest of the UK countries surveyed. A total of 73% of 15-year-old girls and 64% of 15-year-old boys in the country said they had tried alcohol, while 32% and 26% of girls and boys respectively said they had been drunk at least twice.

Compare that statement with the graph above and wonder where they found those figures to generate that cringe.

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/25/uk-has-worst-rate-of-child-alcohol-consumption-in-world-report-finds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0w5le6j7zo