Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, June 1
SINGAPORE: Singapore may have one of the lowest smoking rates among youths Asia.
A Health Promotion Board (HPB) Student Health Survey in 2006 revealed that the proportion of youths who smoked at least one cigarette a day dropped from 11 percent to 9 percent.
However, the HPB wants to further reduce the number of young smokers.
In conjunction with World No Tobacco Day 2008, HPB’s smoking control campaign has adopted a two—pronged approach, focusing on youths and adults.
The message to youths is to celebrate a smoke—free lifestyle. The inaugural Youth Against Tobacco Workshop was held on May 28 and 29 to empower youth leaders to advocate a tobacco—free lifestyle.
Participants of the workshop included advocates from China, Vietnam and Australia.
The HPB said peer influence is an important factor when it comes to smoking. In fact, 95 percent of youth smokers have close friends who smoke.
As for the adult population, the HPB aims to raise awareness of the debilitating effects of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, which is a result of smoking. — CNA/so
shittttt!!!! i forgot ytd was tobacco free day!!....