To be flabbergasted that more than 20% of the population still smoke - really?!?

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've just heard this on Radio 5 If someone had asked me what I thought was the percentage I'd have guessed about 5%?

Anyone else surprised? I know about 300 people roughly and I don't know anyone that smokes. In my family I know one, my BIL, who does.

Anyone else surprised by that statistic?

Ask MN to delete the post K.

Latsia I am grateful to those obese people who check out early from not just cancer, but an array of incurable conditions.

My family all smoke...mum, dad, sister, brother, aunts, uncles. My mum and dad have had siblings die from lung cancer and it hasnt stopped them.

Its always really upset me but they wont change.

No, it's not surprising. I still see plenty of people smoking, of all ages.

Im amazed by the amount of people that continue to smoke. I only know a few smokers but no one under the age of 30, interestingly enough.

I smoke, of my group of friends, I think all but one smokes. Some of them don't smoke fags though, they have more herbal interests.

Of me and 4 siblings, only one has never smoked and one has quit. I stopped while pg and BF then started again cos I am like totally well stupid innit.

I think the stat must be higher in NI, seriously most people I know smoke, they are not all common, nor are they all poor.

But they can still be beaten with judgy sticks, for having the temerity to have an unfashionable bad habit.

It's very, very hard to give up smoking. You have to be very motivated and usually willing to try and fail multiple times.

The key is to stop people taking it up - do you remember your first few cigarettes? It was pretty nasty wasn't it? You really have to give it a good try those first few times and put in the effort to build up a good addiction - madness!

Anyway, 50% (roughly) of smokers will die from smoking related illnesses, and of course the rest will die of something. If the measures in place to make smoking less socially acceptable work, then eventually it'll be a thing of the past.

If there'd been a smoking ban in public places (specifically pubs) in place when I was a teenager then I doubt I'd have been a smoker and then have had to give up in my late 20s.

I think 20% is excellent compared to a decade or so ago. Most of my friends were smokers back then. None of them are now.

Just realised how old i am. We used to smoke on the train and in the dealing room, the stench must have been horrendous.

LOL, I used to smoke on the school bus, I'm not that old!

I actually don't at the moment as I have had two pregnancies in close succession but I consider myself a smoker as I will probably start again once I stop bfeeding.

I genuinely think many of you know people who would never admit to you that they do smoke. Nicotine unfortunately makes liars of many people...

Why do some people talk about obesity and smokers as if they are 2 mutually exclusive groups.

As I said on another thread- the one place in my town you can guarantee you'll see a row of hefty people lighting up is by the exit of mcdonalds. Guess its logic really- if you don't care about your health its likely to extend across food issues too

I am very surprised. I would say that about 1 in a 100 people I know smokes - but then I am very firmly middle aged!

I am surprised it is only 20%.

I would have thought nearer 30% - 40%

Lols at Latsia

I am grateful that all smokers are obese and will heave off their mortal coil and burden upon the world much faster leaving a lovely clean thin world for me. They probably whack their heads off of brick walls too, seeing as they care so little about their health like.

It doesn't seem to be such an awful rate.
The moral judgements attatched to smoking make me want to light up 5 marlboros at once.

I'm not surprised I'm one of six and two sisters and a brother smoke that's despite watching our mother die a long and tortuous death from lung cancer when in their teens.Each of their children who are "old enough" smoke as well. None of the non smokers, their partners or children smoke though.

Im surprised its not higher TBH

How do they 'know' its 20%?....... I dont recall being asked?

amberleaf I always think that....

Not surprised at all. Whenever I go out for few drinks or a meal, I'm quite often left at the table while everyone else buggers off outside for a smoke!

I'm ot surprised, I thought it was higher. I have at least 4 people in my social circle that smoke -- all of the 'typical' unaffluent who are less physically able and claim it is one of the last pleasures they can have. Prefer that to the damaging drinking a lot more people I know do for the pleasure of it.

It's definitely a class/area thing. We used to live in a small market town and I literally never saw a smoker apart from maybe very late on a night out. We've since moved to a bigger, less 'well-to-do' town and I'm often trying to avoid child-height cigarettes in the town centre.

YonWhaleFish: I am grateful to those obese people who check out early from not just cancer, but an array of incurable conditions.

Except that smokers don't just check out from incurable cancers but an array of other conditions as well. Smoking offs more people from non-cancer diseases than it does cancers e.g. ischaemic heart disease, stroke, COPD, myocardial degeneration and so on......

I think it's interesting a lot of people are saying either they know a lot less than 20% who smoke or a lot more. Proves that class and peer group is very influential and/or that the groups of people who do smoke are polarised.