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