“Ministers aim to halve number of people smoking by 2020 ”

“Ministers aim to halve number of people smoking by 2020 ”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8490490.stm



Today’s theme of blog is concerned with smoking in England. The number of smokers in UK has fallen by a quarter in the past decade to 21% and the target of ministers is to lower this number to 10% by 2020. This number (10%) is as the result of the removing branding from packets and banning cigarette vending machines, and this sensible approach to the smoking problem will happen in Scotland in 2011. However, smokers’ lobby group Forest criticized the proposals. Their say is that the removing branding from packets and banning cigarette vending machines will be eroding people’s ability to make lifestyle choices.

On the other hand, Health charity Ash also has opinion to the thing which will happen in Scotland next year. That is, Health charity Ash supported the plans in principle but there was a need for more detail and strong pledge. For me, the complaint that smokers’ lobby group Forest said is ridiculous. Because smoking is not good for body health of smoking people, moreover, the smoke of cigarette have more bad influence to no smoking people. I think they don’t know that the recent current flow of the world of the attitude to smoking obviously faces no smoking. On June 22 in 2009, the president of US, Obama, signed an anti-smoking bill in the Rose Garden.

However, it is also a fact that I don’t feel this recent current flow of anti-smoking in Japan. My friends in college were almost all smokers, and for example, while I attend to the wedding party, the almost all male attendant were smoking. Therefore, it is difficult for me to feel anti-smoking atmosphere in Japan.

I want to appreciate a national commitment for anti-smoking which the government of UK is trying to. The government strategy includes a commitment to try to stop young people taking up smoking by cracking down on illegally imported cheap cigarettes. And also there will be a review of smoking legislation, which could see public bans extended to places such as the entrances of buildings.