高级听力 Unit 16 Part 4

一篇关于禁止吸烟，或者减少吸烟动员的文章。

Cigarette Smoking

Cigarette smoking is the greatest preventable cause of illness and death in Britain. It is associated with around 110,000 premature deaths and an estimated 50 million lost working days each year, and costs the National Health Service an estimated 10 million pounds a year for the treatment of related diseases, for example, heart disease, lung cancer and bronchitis. In addition, smoking by pregnant women can cause low birth weight in infants. The Government is following an active health education policy supported by voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry aimed at reducing the level of smoking.

The Government aims to reduce adult smoking in England from the present 30 percent to 20 percent by the near 2000. A further aim has been to reduce smoking by young people by one-third between 1988 and the end of 1994. Smoking is also being tackled as priority in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and similar targets have been set for the year 2000.

A three-year national campaign, costing 4 million pounds a year, started in 1994. Aimed at adult smokers , particularly parents, the campaign will emphasize the dangers of passive smoking. It will be backed up by local activities to help people to stop smoking. Education on the harmful effects of smoking is included in the National Curriculum for all pupils in publicly maintained schools in England and Wales.

The Government also supports the work of the voluntary organization “Action on Smoking and Health”, whose services include a workplace services consultancy, offering advice and help to employers in formulating anti-smoking policies. The Government is committed to creating a smoke-free environment, with facilities where appropriate for those who wish to smoke, and has published a code of practice on smoking in public places. Health authorities have been asked to promote non-smoking as the normal practice in health service buildings and to give help and advice to people who want to give up smoking. The Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health estimated that passive smoking, especially in the workplace and the home, may cause several hundred deaths through lung cancer every year.

下载全文