One in three smoke in the Balearics

One in three people, 32.9 per cent, in the Balearics smoke, but that is still below the national average in Spain. To mark World No Smoking Day, the Balearic Minister for Health, Aina Salom, yesterday announced the figures - the results of a health department survey carried out last year. Salom explained that 2'000 people were canvassed in the survey which showed 37.3 of males and 28.7 per cent of females are addicted to tobacco. Salom said that the survey has also established that 42.9 per cent of people aged between 15 and 44 smoke, a fact Salom described as very worrying. A quarter of the 45 to 64 year-old age group smoke. The island with the most smokers is Minorca, followed by Majorca and finally Ibiza. However, Salom would like to see the number of smokers reduced across the Balearics. “Nobody doubts” the health risks posed by smoking, the Minister said, adding that she intends to launch a series of campaigns in order to try and prevent teenagers from starting to smoke and encourage adult smokers to kick the habit. Salom said that the most worrying problem is the amount of young people getting hooked on tobacco. To mark World No Smoking Day, the Balearic Ministry for Health and the Balearic Society of General Practitioners, organised a four-day conference for medical experts to discuss ways in which they can get their message across to the general public.