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23 November 2007
BRUSSELS – The percentage of people in Belgium that smoke every day has fallen for the first time in five years. Currently 27 percent of us light up at least once a day. This is down from 29 percent a year ago.
The new figures also show a big drop in the number of young smokers after several years of stagnation. Luc Joossens of the Anti-Cancer Foundation told the VRT that the fall in the number of smokers is not due to more people giving up but rather has been caused by fewer people starting smoking in the first place.
“The shocking photos about the effects of smoking while pregnant and of long cancer sufferers stick in smokers’ minds.”
“However, the smoking ban in restaurants and the increase in the price of cigarettes have also played a role”.
The Anti-Cancer Foundation has launched a special interactive website to help the 50 percent of smokers that want to quit.
[Copyright Flanders news 2007]
Subject: Belgian news