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National smoking debate hits town

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Friday 14th Nov 1997.

STARS of the stage and screen are set to hit Bolton next week to debate smoking among students.

The national "Back to College Debating Tour", chaired by ITV's The Good Sex Guide presenter, Margi Clarke, is set to visit Bolton College on Tuesday, November 18.

A smoker and the star of BBC TV's "Making Out" will be joined by local celebrities, Bernard Wrigley, the Bolton Bullfrog who plays Barry Clegg in television's Emmerdale and Farnworth born playwright Jim Cartwright.

Local GP Dr David Leather, will also be on hand to offer a medical perspective on the issue.

Co-ordinated by the Health Education Authority, the debate at Bolton College is the latest in a series which aims to challenge students to think about why they smoke.

"Is peer pressure tobacco's best salesman" aims to provoke discussion among students and the panellists will make their own contributions to the debate.

One third of 16-24 year olds claim to be regular smokers, 33 per cent of women and 34 per cent of men, with the number of young women smokers rising by five per cent between 1994-96.

Research shows nearly one in three arts graduates smoke compared to 16 per cent of social science graduates.

Lesley Jones, a spokesperson for Bolton's Specialist Health Promotion Service, said: "What influences and encourages young people to smoke is an important issue and there are many theories as to why students have high smoking rates.

"It will be interesting to see what the students in Bolton think."

Margi Clarke, has already chaired debates for Cambridge University and is prepared for the controversy which surrounds this topical subject.

She said:"There is no such thing as a safe cigarette. Even if a few students decide to give up as a result of his tour, it will be worth it."

Research suggests that young people are self conscious about the impact of smoking on their image, apparently regarding smoking as part of the stereotypical image of the "carefree and reckless student." More than 60 per cent of students want to give up, but enjoy it too much.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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