Launch Of Children's Charter

Anti-smoking campaigners want Scotland to be a tobacco-free generation by 2034.

ASH Scotland will launch a 'Children's Charter' today which is aimed at encouraging organisations, who work directly or indirectly with young people, to help achieve an adult smoking rate of 5% or less in 20 years time.

The body says it wants all children born in 2013 to grow up in a community where tobacco use is not visible.

The charter will be shared with school pupils in Rosyth shortly.

ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said: “The Charter for a Tobacco-free Generation is a way of driving forward Scotland’s compelling vision to free our children from the tobacco epidemic that has claimed so many lives and led to so much misery.
 
“It’s important people realise tobacco use is primarily an addiction of childhood, with two-thirds of smokers saying they took up the habit when they were under-age.
 
“The Charter principles set out the rights of children in relation to tobacco for the first time, to be protected from cynical tobacco marketing, from exposure to toxic second-hand smoke and from getting hooked into a lethal addiction as children.
 
“The Charter offers a strong framework for people to take forward their own aims for a generation free from tobacco, whether they are working in a local authority, the education sector, with children and young families or in other relevant fields.”
 
Among those supporting the Charter is well-known sports broadcaster Archie Macpherson, who was diagnosed last year with cancer in his ureter, believed to be caused by second-hand smoke exposure. Archie had to have a healthy kidney removed along with the ureter to help him overcome his illness.
 
Veteran football commentator Archie said: “A tobacco-free generation – what a great goal for Scotland!

“As a grandfather and former teacher, I know the importance of putting the focus on the health and wellbeing of our young people and this Charter aims to ensure children born today grow up to live in a Scotland where smoking is out of fashion and hardly seen.

“As a teenager, I witnessed many of my friends succumbing to the commercial inducements to smoke cigarettes. I never did. Although one has never touched my lips I fell victim to the toxic effect of second-hand smoke, which required major surgery at great cost to the NHS.

“Being in smoke-filled press boxes and offices exposed me to passive smoking so I know first-hand how vital it is that we do all we can to ensure people of all ages are protected from this kind of risk in future.”