A recent report states that suicide rates, in Scotland, particularly amongst men aged between 25-35 [approx.] is far higher than the average for England. Furthermore, the rates in Scotland for those males living in some rural areas and poor inner city areas are alarmingly higher than the average for England.

I'm not really surprised. My theory is that a lot of it is down to the smoking ban in Scotland.

Consider the following :- You are a shepherd in the ' bonny ' Highlands. You spend 10 hours a day tending your flock, smoking your pipe and gazing into space. It must get a bit tedious, unless you're really ' into ' sheep.

You go home, have a wash, eat a haggis or a deep-fried mars bar and then you trudge 5 or 6 miles to the nearest pub. When you get there you have to stand outside with your pipe and your pint, in the rain, perhaps dreaming about sheep.No wonder so many men top themselves north o' the border.

It'll be interesting to see if suicide rates increase in England after July 1st.
I must admit that my theory could be totally wrong and that the high suicide rates amongst the Jocks could be simply from living in a place like Scotland. No wonder so many of them emigrate, especially to Westminster.