There is a whole secondary approach being deployed by those in various sockpuppet tobacco control charities across the pond with our dear American friends, all intent on reducing tobacco prevalence and protecting youth. Their grandiose plan is to *ahem* raise the legal age of sale from 18 to 21. That’s it. They completely ignore the fact that there are age restrictions already in place, albeit terribly enforced by the local authorities (as is the case everywhere else).
This is typically a case of “got to be seen to be doing something” about the use of tobacco amongst American U18s, without actually doing anything to correct the actual problem which is one of enforcement. So why the buzzy bee in their collective bonnets about raising the age of sale to 21 instead of 18? An internet survey where just over 4,200 U18’s completed a simple questionnaire which has magically become the phrase “x percent of Americans” or “x percent of smokers” all based on a pretty pathetic, small-scale survey which doesn’t even represent a tiny proportion of the US population (which was, as of 2014 approximately 320 Million). Continue reading “Fudging statistics, tobacco control style”
