smoking

In Scotland in recent years smoking, poor diet and excess alcohol have caused major public health problems. Knowledge of what is effective in the field of health behaviour change is therefore essential in achieving improvements in health. This symposium was convened with the purpose of ensuring that public health policy is informed by the best available evidence on effective interventions. As behaviour is complex, achieving change can be difficult and it is essential that interventions are properly planned, implemented and evaluated.

The use of cannabis is embedded within many societies, mostly used by the young and widely perceived to be safe. Increasing concern regarding the potential for cannabis to cause mental health effects has dominated cannabis research and the potential adverse respiratory effects have received relatively little attention.

Lung cancer remains the most common fatal malignancy in the Western world. Survival rates have only improved modestly over the past three decades and new approaches are urgently required. It is clear that a concerted effort to reduce cigarette smoking is required. However, about 10% of patients with lung cancer are never smokers, indicating genetic or other predisposition. Lung cancer screening programmes are being trialled to target high-risk populations. Genetic strategies will provide new methods for screening and predicting response to treatment.