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| Government unveils plans to cut adult smoking rate in England to 12% | Government unveils plans to cut adult smoking rate in England to 12% |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The government has announced plans to cut smoking rates among adults in England from 15.5% to no more than 12% by 2022. | The government has announced plans to cut smoking rates among adults in England from 15.5% to no more than 12% by 2022. |
| Its long-awaited tobacco control plan, which was due to be published last summer, also targets a reduction in the number of 15-year-olds who regularly smoke, from 8% to 3% or lower; and a fall in the proportion of pregnant women smoking, from 10.5% to no more than 6% over the same period. | Its long-awaited tobacco control plan, which was due to be published last summer, also targets a reduction in the number of 15-year-olds who regularly smoke, from 8% to 3% or lower; and a fall in the proportion of pregnant women smoking, from 10.5% to no more than 6% over the same period. |
| It also seeks to reduce the “inequality gap”, whereby smoking rates are highest and most damaging to health among the least well-off. | It also seeks to reduce the “inequality gap”, whereby smoking rates are highest and most damaging to health among the least well-off. |
| Doctors and healthcare experts had been urging Theresa May to publish the new plan for months, reminding her of her pledge to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Half of the nine-year difference in their life expectancy is caused by smoking. | Doctors and healthcare experts had been urging Theresa May to publish the new plan for months, reminding her of her pledge to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Half of the nine-year difference in their life expectancy is caused by smoking. |
| In the foreword to the plan, published on Tuesday, Steve Brine, the parliamentary undersecretary of state for public health and primary care, writes: “This injustice in the variation in smoking prevalence can be seen across England; from places where adult smoking is as low as 5% to others where smoking remains above 25%. The prevalence remains even higher in people with mental health conditions, where more than 40% of adults with a serious mental illness smoke. We want to address this. Our vision is nothing less than to create a smoke-free generation.” | In the foreword to the plan, published on Tuesday, Steve Brine, the parliamentary undersecretary of state for public health and primary care, writes: “This injustice in the variation in smoking prevalence can be seen across England; from places where adult smoking is as low as 5% to others where smoking remains above 25%. The prevalence remains even higher in people with mental health conditions, where more than 40% of adults with a serious mental illness smoke. We want to address this. Our vision is nothing less than to create a smoke-free generation.” |
| To achieve its objectives, the government says it will provide access to training for all health professionals on how to help patients quit, especially those in mental health services. It also wants to create a smoke-free NHS by 2020 by encouraging smokers using, visiting and working in the health service to give up. It calls for local solutions where prevalence is high and says high duty rates for tobacco products will be maintained. | To achieve its objectives, the government says it will provide access to training for all health professionals on how to help patients quit, especially those in mental health services. It also wants to create a smoke-free NHS by 2020 by encouraging smokers using, visiting and working in the health service to give up. It calls for local solutions where prevalence is high and says high duty rates for tobacco products will be maintained. |
| Additionally, more information will be provided to the public on the safety of e-cigarettes and their effectiveness as smoking cessation aids. | Additionally, more information will be provided to the public on the safety of e-cigarettes and their effectiveness as smoking cessation aids. |
| Doctors and healthcare professionals welcomed the publication of the plan but said more investment was needed to bring smoking rates down further. | Doctors and healthcare professionals welcomed the publication of the plan but said more investment was needed to bring smoking rates down further. |
| Prof Parveen Kumar, the chair of the BMA board of science, said: “If we’re to stop the 79,000 annual deaths in England attributed to smoking, smoking cessation services and tobacco control measures must be adequately funded. Yet local authorities are reducing smoking cessation budgets, merging services into unwieldy departments or cutting services altogether. | Prof Parveen Kumar, the chair of the BMA board of science, said: “If we’re to stop the 79,000 annual deaths in England attributed to smoking, smoking cessation services and tobacco control measures must be adequately funded. Yet local authorities are reducing smoking cessation budgets, merging services into unwieldy departments or cutting services altogether. |
| “Cuts to these highly cost-effective services will only increase health inequalities and demand on tomorrow’s GP surgeries and hospital wards.” | “Cuts to these highly cost-effective services will only increase health inequalities and demand on tomorrow’s GP surgeries and hospital wards.” |
| The British Lung Foundation said the targets for reducing smoking were ambitious but also cautioned about cuts to local smoking cessation services. | The British Lung Foundation said the targets for reducing smoking were ambitious but also cautioned about cuts to local smoking cessation services. |
| Cathy Warwick, the chief executive at the Royal College of Midwives, said training of staff was essential but added: “No matter how good the training, this cannot be fully effective if midwives cannot signpost women on to smoking cessation services. We are seeing cuts to public health budgets and smoking cessation services are being affected. This has got to be reversed and investment in smoking cessation services has to be stepped up.” | Cathy Warwick, the chief executive at the Royal College of Midwives, said training of staff was essential but added: “No matter how good the training, this cannot be fully effective if midwives cannot signpost women on to smoking cessation services. We are seeing cuts to public health budgets and smoking cessation services are being affected. This has got to be reversed and investment in smoking cessation services has to be stepped up.” |
| Smoking prevalence has fallen from 20.2% among adults in 2011 to 15% – the lowest level since records began. It still costs the economy in excess of £11bn per year, including £2.5bn that falls on to the NHS. | Smoking prevalence has fallen from 20.2% among adults in 2011 to 15% – the lowest level since records began. It still costs the economy in excess of £11bn per year, including £2.5bn that falls on to the NHS. |
| Simon Clark, the director of the smokers’ group Forest, urged the government to “stop lecturing smokers” and said the plan should have put “education and choice ahead of prohibition and coercion”. | Simon Clark, the director of the smokers’ group Forest, urged the government to “stop lecturing smokers” and said the plan should have put “education and choice ahead of prohibition and coercion”. |
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