Sat, Nov 21 2009

Bulgarians, at a pack a day, third among Europeans in smoking stakes

Wed, Mar 11 2009 15:32 CET byClive Leviev-Sawyer 1297 Views 4 Comments
Bulgarians, at a pack a day, third among Europeans in smoking stakes

With Greeks in first place and Italians in second, Bulgarians are in third place - at a pack a day - among smokers in Europe, according to a European Commission initiative entitled Help - for a life without tobacco.

Figures for 2008 say that almost every third person between 10 and 19 smokes, as do half the pregnant women in Bulgaria.

Men make up 52.4 per cent of the just less than two million smokers in Bulgaria, a country with a population estimated at 7.7 million

Smoking is said to be the cause of about 20 per cent of deaths in Bulgaria.

The anti-smoking campaign was launched in 2007 and will continue over the next two years, focussing in particular on discouraging smoking among young people.

On March 5 2009, Bulgarian-language mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa said that excise hikes that are leading to cigarette price increases could see cigarette consumption in Bulgaria decrease by about 15 per cent.

Comments

Anonymous bob Thu, Sep 03 2009 02:20 CET
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smokers are idiots... they are wasting their money to slowly kill themselves.. and they are very self centered to conaminate the air for the rest of the non-smokers.. Smokers say that they have a right to smoke,.. well we have a right to breathe clean air. You dont see us farting in your face.

Anonymous Lee Tue, Apr 28 2009 15:18 CET
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99.8% of smokers DO NOT get lung cancer. My local pub has NO non smokers... rediculous. Not a godsend Tony - another nail in the coffin for democracy and the pub trade.

Anonymous non-smoker Thu, Mar 12 2009 19:53 CET
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tony, i don't agree. i think a government imposed smoking ban is belittling and is the death of going-out. as a non-smoker, i've stopped enjoying, and ultimately visiting, places that impose total non-smoking rules. the smoking ban in public places is something that has been concocted by the politically correct left-wing thought-police. what's next? a ban on red meat? because "it is not good for you"?
i would like to decide for myself how i put an end to my live - by drinking and smoking if i so choose to, thank you very much!
besides, it has long been proven that those who live a long and happy live cost a lot more in health care then those who die of lung cancer at an early age.

Anonymous tony white (uk with bulgarian property) Thu, Mar 12 2009 10:27 CET
Inappropriate comment?

uk smoking ban in public places is a godsend. much more pleasant to go out and socialise. there is nothing worse than being in a confined space with smokers when you do not smoke yourself. Seeing people ill with smoke related disease is not funny. Death from lung cancer is a poor way to die. why self-destruct? stop smoking and enjoy your food (better taste) and better, healthier lifestyle.

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