UCL in the News: Poor people 'ignore' health campaigns

Michael Marmot, a professor of epidemiology at UCL, said those on low wages or benefits ignore the health warnings.

He added that campaigns to force people to quit are "pointless" and "counter-productive" because better-educated people had already heeded the warning and given up. …

He said: "People at the lower end of the social spectrum are not listening to these messages because of the continued social inequalities.

"It's not because they haven't heard, or don't know that smoking is bad for you, it is because, on their list of priorities, giving up smoking is way down and they have to turn their attention to more immediate matters." …

 "People know that smoking is bad for you and a lot of middle-class people have found the willpower to give up.

"We have to ask why the same cannot be said for people at the lower end of the social spectrum.

"Simply conveying the message that smoking is bad for you isn't the issue."

He said he supported the smoking ban, due to come in on July 1, but added: "We really need to have a look at what is going on in these people's lives if we are going to get them to stop smoking. Smoking has to be put in context when looking at the multiple disadvantages they face." …

Nick Britten, 'Daily Telegraph'