What children think is not reliable evidence

Yesterday's Scottish Government press release about its new tobacco control strategy contained a note about NHS Fife’s anti-smoking initiative.

Bizarrely it included the following statement:

The I-Don’t project surveyed 1500 students and showed that while students thought 75% of their peers smoked, in reality the number who smoked was less than 30%.

Think about that for a minute. Anti-smoking campaigners increasingly expect us to accept the opinions of children when it comes to developing tobacco control policies.

We are told, for example, that there is evidence that plain packaging will work because, shown an example of an Australian style 'plain' pack featuring a grotesque graphic image, a substantial percentage of children say it will put their peers off smoking.

In Ireland (if I remember correctly) a survey of 8-15 year olds found that a majority of children thought their peers were less likely to smoke as a result of the display ban. This was used as 'evidence' that the display ban has been a success in Ireland.

However, as the I-Don't project demonstrates, what students think and what happens in reality are two very different things.

And another thing:

The aim of the I-Don't project is to "prevent 16 to 24 year olds from taking up smoking by showing that non-smoking is the ‘norm’".

Prevent? As my son (who is 18) keeps telling me, once you're 18 you are officially an adult and can make your own decisions. It is legal to sell tobacco to people once they're 18 so why is a government funded campaign trying to 'prevent' people aged 18-24 from taking up smoking?

Educate, by all means, but in my dictionary 'prevent' is defined as making someone unable to do something.

Comments

[Pat Nurse]

It's just more manipulations and downright lies but what I fail to understand is why our elected representatives are so damn gullible.

Children do not smoke. 16 year olds used to because that was the legal age of consumption. Now 18 years olds may start and they are legally entitled to.

If children are smoking then clearly the anti-smoker industry has failed them miserably and taken tax payers' money on false pretences. Send any kid into a shop and they will not get served tobacco. They may, however, go to man with a bag who is supported by the Tobacco Control Industry. The more kids who smoke the more the TCI likes it because the more it supports their ideology.

Those who exploit children to promote their own ends are no better than the likes of Jimmy Savile. If he taught us anything it's that those who pretend to be "doing it for the children" often have other self-interest reasons for hiding behind them.

Tobacco control simply uses them as human shields in the war on legitimate adult consumers. On this issue, they are akin to the BNP on immigration. If you don't believe it then try reason debate with them. It will end with them throwing abuse, telling you you're an ugly, pathetic addict, with yellow teeth and dirty skin. It's really not about health and I wish our gullible politicians would wake up to it before more social damage is done.

Simon, please get more pro-active or the day will come when Forest is deemed a criminal organisation because no one will be allowed by law to enjoy smoking. To have a fair chance in this war, you need staff and representatives in every town to keep up with the other side and frankly the tobacco companies owe that much to their loyal consumers who do not deserve to attacked in this way by rabid anti-smoker bigots.