A new study has found that obstacles to quitting smoking differ with an individual’s age. Younger smokers reported a higher level of concern about weight gain and inability to manage stress compared with older smokers, and younger smokers also reported a higher level of concern about handling social situations and cravings.

Older smokers were more concerned by the health risks, while younger smokers were more likely to be worried about the cost. The report highlighted the different motivations for quitting, and stressed the need to address the different factors to help improve cessation rates for both younger and older smokers.

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An article on the BBC has suggested that prison is being used as the “default” option for people with mental health problems, when it’s specialist care that’s actually needed.

Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, agreed that many people with mental health disorders need not be in prisons, but also agreed that institutions were currently unavailable to provide them with the care they needed. However the report also stressed that any alternative to prison would have to ensure the public was protected too.

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