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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2003

Vol. 571 No. 1

Written Answers. - Tobacco-Related Illnesses.

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

814 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if it has been ascertained whether medical students were the heaviest smokers followed by law students. [19751/03]

The Deputy's question refers to an article recently featured in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The article stated that medical students were the heaviest smokers followed by law students. I am unable to confirm whether this is the case in Ireland as the Slán survey collects data based on the educational status of respondents, not on the subjects that students are studying. The categories in the Slán survey are as follows: ED1a: No schooling-primary school edu cation only; ED1b: some secondary education; ED2: complete secondary education; ED3a: some third level education at college, university, RTC-IT; ED3b: complete third level education at college, university, Regional Technical College-IT.

The following table shows the mean number of cigarettes consumed per day by gender, age and educational status:

Males

Males

Males

Males

Males

Males

Females

Females

Females

Females

Females

Females

ED1

ED1

ED2

ED2

ED3

ED3

ED1

ED1

ED2

ED2

ED3

ED3

Age

1998

2002

1998

2002

1998

2002

1998

2002

1998

2002

1998

2002

18-35

18.5

16.8

16.2

18.6

12.3

14.0

17.6

15.9

13.1

10.8

11.5

9.9

35-54

20.4

20.5

19.4

18.9

17.3

17.6

17.5

18.2

17.2

14.1

15.3

13.2

55+

17.0

16.0

15.5

18.3

15.1

16.8

13.1

13.1

15.8

14.1

14.8

15.6

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