Embargo 00:01 Friday 3rd November 2000
Mobile phones the newcigarettes?
The organisers of No Smoking Day welcomed today's startlingnew insights into children's smoking (Charlton & Bates; BMJ letters). Doreen McIntyre, Chief Executive of thecharity that runs the annual No Smoking Day campaigns, explained:
“For years so-called health experts like me have searched invain for that elusive something that could compete with the thrill, mystiqueand glamour children see in smoking. How wonderful to learn that true to form,children seem to have found an answer for themselves. Mobile phones aregrown-up, glamorous & costly; they offer something to do when you are boredor alone, and a way to keep your social life going. They even have the benefitof annoying other people, and an element of health risk, and certainly seem tobe addictive perfect!”
A life-long non-smoker, Doreen added:
“It all makes such sense. I've only recently started toexperiment with mobile phones myself, and am amazed at how rapidly I gothooked. I didn't like them at first, and couldn't use them properly, but nowI'm used to it and use mine all the time. I especially like the buzz from thatfirst text message of the day. For the first time though, I'm beginning to feelwhat it's like to be tutted at in public places by non-users so I'm carefulabout where I dial up.
“Seriously though, if kids are spending their money onphonecards instead of cigarettes, then that sounds like great news. If they'lllend their phones to smoky pals to call a helpline, even better. And if, like cigarettes, mobile phones leadsome kids to experiment with stronger, harder stuff, like hand-held computers,then the country's IT skill base is in for a boost. This new report has givenme a great idea for No Smoking Day 2001: let's get young mobile owners to showthat when it comes to smoking, it's better to talk.”
Note to editors
The next No Smoking Day will be 14 March 2001.
The No Smoking Day charity is a coalition of the UK's healtheducation agencies and major health agencies.
Contact
Doreen McIntyre, Chief Executive, No Smoking Day:
020 7916 1653 (office)
0370 657 241 (mobile)
