More schoolchildren ‘rejecting cigarettes'
The most recent survey into pupils taking up smoking indicates that just “16% of the pupils have ever smoked tobacco, down from 19% in 2016 and 49% in 1996”. This latest research also included surveying drug use and alcohol abuse. 13,000 pupils have tried drugs, from which 17% also usually drink alcohol at least once a month. Although the reduction of young people taking up smoking is a positive sign, NHS Digital, the organisation behind the research, suggests that the findings indicate that the reason for other various types of substance abuse is due to “low levels of happiness”.
Call for crackdown on junk food price deals to tackle obesity
The first minister has urged to restrict price promotions on “food and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt” as the Scottish government has "vowed" to tackle health “inequalities” and reduce childhood obesity by 50% by 2030. More than 28% of children in Scotland are overweight or obese, and research has suggested that young minds are easily persuaded via marketing schemes that dictate what they consume.
Five-pound notes and free pints used to lure students into gambling
A recent investigation by the Observer has discovered that students are “being headhunted by marketing agencies” to encourage other impressionable young people to start betting. An ethical question mark rests over this issue, as in some cases, the marketing tactics involve “handing out free cash” and alcohol. Critics have “condemned” the marketing approach, with multiple betting agencies commenting that they were unaware of such marketing ploys taking place in universities across the UK.
Five ways UK farmers are tackling climate change
Farmers face regular criticism in regards to climate change due to the gas emissions from the meat and dairy industry “with calls for a move to a more plant-based diet”. However, in an eye-opening article this week, UK farmers are making some changes to how they work. From farm robots and drones, to simply keeping livestock outside for longer, the UK farming industry is on the “front line of climate change”.
Pledge to end smoking in England by 2030
Late last month the UK government pledged to “end smoking in England by 2030”. Currently, the population spends “over a fifth of their lives in ill health” with those in “deprived areas” experiencing longer periods of ill health than others. This pledge comes as part of a series of measures to tackle the “causes of preventable ill-health”. A variety of ways to tackle the issue has been outlined in the green paper, including more efficient signposting in hospitals for admitted smoking patients.