NHS Lothian has launched a striking new campaign to stub out smoking on hospital sites.Staff members across NHS Lothian hospitals have teamed up to urge patients, visitors and other members of staff not to light-up near hospitals.
They aim to create a healthier environment for patients, visitors, and employees and help protect those most at risk as they receive urgent care in hospitals across Lothian, including the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the Western General Hospital, St John’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
The campaign, titled “All Areas Are Smoke Free”, uses life size pop-up banners which feature seven members of staff asking people not to smoke on hospital premises.
The banners, which are strategically placed in high-traffic areas where the most smoking takes place, serve as a visual reminder of the importance of maintaining clean air and smoke-free environments.
Healthcare staff, who help deliver lifesaving care every day, are some of the most trusted and valued people in society and it is hoped that their direct appeal will make a difference.
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said: “Smoke Free Hospitals are about ensuring that our patients, staff and visitors can come to our hospitals and breathe clean air.
“Unfortunately, there are still areas on our hospital grounds where we know people are smoking. This is why we’re pleased to launch this campaign as part of our ongoing commitment to promoting health and well-being on our hospital sites.
“We hope to create a cultural shift towards smoke-free environments that prioritises the health of everyone who walks through our doors.”
All hospital grounds have been designated as smoke free areas since 2015. This was further enhanced in 2022 by the introduction of a £50 fixed penalty notice to those who smoke within the 15 metres of a hospital building.
NHS Lothian aims to amplify the reach and impact of the campaign and has been running Smoke Free information sessions with staff members to foster a supportive network committed to reducing smoking prevalence on NHS Lothian hospital sites.
Kate Thomas, a Radiologist at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People who features in the campaign, said: “Children come to our hospital to be treated for asthma and cancer.
“We need them to breathe clean air.“Please do not smoke on our hospital grounds.”
Joanna Mackenzie, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, was also featured in the campaign and said: “I ask my patients to do the difficult job of stopping smoking before their head and neck cancer treatment.
“Please support our cancer patients by not smoking on our hospital grounds.”
Stephen Gallacher, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, A&E, St John’s Hospital, said: “Patients are being treated in A&E for serious, life-threatening and life changing conditions.
“It is not acceptable for our patients to be met with smoke when they come into hospital. Please do not smoke on our hospital grounds.”
Support for anyone who wants to stop smoking is available from the Quit Your Way service.
EDINBURGH’s smokers are being urged to set the goal of leaving tobacco behind in 2024.
Charity ASH Scotland is campaigning to improve the physical and mental health of people who smoke by encouraging them to use free expert stop smoking support provided by the NHS.
Quitting is one of the biggest proactive steps people in Edinburgh who smoke can take to quickly improve health and mental wellbeing, reduce the risk of longer term illness and also save money.
If a person who smokes decides to make a New Year’s resolution and starts to quit, not only will they find their health will improve by the end of January, in one month an average smoker could also save in the region of £250.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “Tobacco is highly addictive and, although it can take a number of attempts to quit, some people find giving up cigarettes or tobacco easier than they had thought.
“Don’t be discouraged if you’ve tried before, you’ll have learned something valuable about what did and didn’t work for you it is the best thing you can do for your health, finances and for those around you.
“You don’t have to quit on your own in the New Year. We’re encouraging people in Edinburgh to seek person-centred support from local stop smoking services or the national stop-smoking service Quit Your Way Scotland.
“Getting support will give you the confidence to move forward with your quit journey and the tools you need to make the best possible start to 2024.”
Contact Quit Your Way Scotland by visiting www.QuitYourWay.Scot or by calling the free helpline on 0800 848484.
ASH Scotland is tackling tobacco head-on by campaigning to reduce the harms caused by smoking. For more information, follow the health charity’s social media channels on Instagram and Facebook.
Public consultation on historic proposals draws to a close, with roughly 25,000 responses from teachers, parents, healthcare professionals and public
UK in lead to be first country in the world to create a smokefree generation by phasing out the sale of tobacco
Government taking long-term decisions to protect children and an entire generation from the harms of smoking as they grow older
Plans to introduce the most significant public health intervention in a generation and phase out smoking are progressing at pace, as the Westminster government’s consultation closes today.
Amassing roughly 25,000 responses – including from healthcare professionals, public health experts, academics, teachers, parents and teenagers – officials will analyse results and ministers will set out next steps in the coming weeks, including details on the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill recently announced in the King’s Speech.
The majority of the public are behind the plans, and the government is determined to take vital action quickly to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco addiction.
The government’s response to the consultation will be published ahead of the Bill’s introduction to Parliament in the new year.
Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “As a former teenage smoker, these historic plans might just have prevented me from ever lighting a cigarette.
“Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK, and that’s why we need to push ahead at pace with our plans to protect today’s children, and create the first smokefree generation while cracking down on youth vaping.
“We are taking the long-term health decisions needed to safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.”
Government plans include introducing a new law to stop children who turned 14 this year or are younger from ever legally being sold tobacco in England. There is also a worrying rise in vaping among children and the government will therefore also introduce measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, while ensuring they remain available as a quit tool for smokers.
This will prevent thousands of children from starting smoking in the coming years and potentially having their lives cut short as a result.
The UK is now proudly set to be the first country in the world to introduce such a landmark law on smoking.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “With the overwhelming support of the public the UK has picked up the baton to become the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation.
“In the twentieth century the UK, home to the tobacco industry, had the highest smoking rates in the world, in the twenty first we are now on track to lead the way out of the tobacco epidemic.
“This will herald the start of a new era in tobacco control, where the end of the smoking is finally in sight.”
Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 deaths in England alone, costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year. No other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users and the plans will save tens of thousands of lives and save the NHS billions of pounds.
People take up cigarettes when they are young.
Four in five smokers have started by the time they are 20 and although the vast majority try to quit, many due to the addictive nature of cigarettes.
Cathy Hunt, 58, is a mum of four from County Durham. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and had half a lung removed in 2015 just two days before her 50th birthday. She underwent surgery again in 2022 when the cancer returned, and in June this year had a kidney removed due to cancer.
Cathy said: “I am absolutely over the moon about the government’s plan to raise the age of sale for tobacco one year every year until we see the end of smoking, and all my family and friends are too.
“Smoking isn’t a lifestyle choice but a lethal addiction which traps hundreds of new victims in its claws every day, victims who struggle to escape. I only managed to stop once I found out I had lung cancer but wish now I could turn the clock back to the time I started smoking as a child aged 11.
“That’s also why I’m so pleased the government is providing more funding for anti-smoking campaigns, stop smoking services and enforcement to help stop the start and start the stop for those already addicted to smoking like I was.”
Gower Tan, Cancer Research UK ambassador and campaigns officer, said: “I started smoking aged 13, and this deadly addiction took me over 25 years to quit.
“Having watched my dad – a lifelong smoker – die of lung cancer, I understand the devastating harms of tobacco and I support vital legislation on the age of sale. Knowing my children and future generations will not suffer the tragic consequences caused by smoking is a legacy we could all be proud of.”
To tackle youth vaping, the government’s plans include a range of measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, including restricting vapes flavours, regulating point of sale displays in stores that sell vapes, and regulating vape packaging.
Stakeholder reaction:
Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said: “Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, responsible for around 150 cancers a day. Raising the age of sale for tobacco products is one of the biggest opportunities we have had to help prevent cancer in over a decade.
“This consultation is a vital step on the road to the first ever smokefree generation. If the government takes decisive action in all UK nations, the UK can phase smoking out for good and protect the next generation from a potential lifetime of addiction and disease.”
John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “It comes as no surprise that responses have been submitted in the thousands to this consultation that poses the biggest positive change to public health in our lifetime.
“Most people have been affected by smoking either directly or indirectly, and smoking related illnesses put a huge strain on the NHS. In time, this will free up much needed resources and will help safeguard future generations to come.”
“Effective policing of the age of sale of tobacco will be critical to the effectiveness of the government’s aim of eliminating smoking for future generations and Trading Standards teams working in local communities across the UK will play a central role in making this happen.
“We look forward to working with DHSC to ensure that we have the tools and resources needed to support businesses and educate consumers as the country phases out tobacco products for good.”
Henry Gregg, director of external affairs for Asthma + Lung UK: “Creating a smoke-free generation is one of the most impactful things we could do to improve the health of future generations.
“We know that many people with a lung condition and their families strongly support these proposals, to prevent others from going through what they have experienced. We urge the government to ensure these measures are implemented in full to save thousands of lives.
“Smoking remains the biggest cause of lung disease deaths in the UK, with tobacco costing the NHS £2.5 billion every year and £1.2 billion in social care costs.
“More than 8 out of 10 smokers take up smoking before the age of 20 and become addicted, so proposals to gradually increase the smoking age to stop younger people from ever taking up smoking is an opportunity for the government to lead the way on measures that will protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by this deadly addiction”.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Smoking & Heart Health
Smoking isn’t good for you, we’ve all heard this by now. We know that smoking is responsible for 76,000 deaths a year in the UK, but what impact does smoking actually have on your heart? If you’re a smoker, why is stopping smoking most likely the most impactful thing you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk of heart diseases?
As we kick off October (commonly known as Stoptober), this week’s healthy tip focusses on the physical impact smoking has on your heart health in an attempt to motivate you to finally ditch the habit that could cost you your life.
Cigarettes contain 4,000 chemicals
Many of these chemicals are extremely harmful to your body and include carbon monoxide, tar, and nicotine. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas which reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood.
Tar is a toxic chemical which accumulates in your lungs, forming a sticky residue. Nicotine is the addictive substance and when consumed it increases your heart rate and blood pressure.
Cigarettes increase your risk of heart diseases
Consuming the above-mentioned chemicals make the walls of your arteries ‘sticky’ which encourages fatty deposits circulating in your blood to stick to the artery walls.
These build up over time and reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood travelling through your arteries which can result in a heart attack or stroke.
It is time to stop
It is never too late to quit smoking. Even if you have smoked all your life, health benefits can be seen within only a few hours of quitting. After one year of not smoking, you reduce your risk of having a heart attack by 50%.
There is a wealth of support available to help you quit, speak to your GP to discuss your options. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it – good luck!
UK Government to introduce ‘historic’ new law to protect future generations of young people from the harms of smoking
Government to introduce historic new law to protect future generations of young people from the harms of smoking.
Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 in England alone – costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year.
Move would be the most significant public health intervention in a generation, saving tens of thousands of lives and saving the NHS billions of pounds.
Further crackdown on youth vaping will see government consult on restricting disposable vapes and regulating flavours and packaging to reduce their appeal to children.
The Westminster government is set to introduce a new law to stop children who turn 14 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes in England, in a bid to create the first ‘smokefree generation’.
Proposed new legislation will make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products – effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population. This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040.
Smoking is highly addictive, with 4 in 5 smokers starting before the age of 20 and remaining addicted for the rest of their lives. By stopping young people from ever starting to smoke, the government will protect an entire generation of young people from the harms of smoking as they grow older.
Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and leading to 64,000 deaths per year in England. It puts huge pressure on the NHS, with almost one hospital admission every minute attributable to smoking and up to 75,000 GP appointments each month taken up by smoking-related illness.
It is also one of the biggest drivers of health inequalities across the country – deaths from smoking are more than two times higher in the most deprived local authorities, where more people smoke, compared to the most affluent. Smoking rates in pregnancy also vary hugely, with as many as 20% of pregnant women smoking in some parts of the country – increasing the chance of stillbirth by almost 50%.
Smoking also costs the economy £17 billion a year, through smoking related lost earnings, unemployment, early deaths and costs to the NHS.
These changes amount to one of the most significant public health interventions by the government in a generation. If the government does not act, the independent review published in 2022 estimated that nearly half a million people will die from smoking by 2030.
More broadly it is expected to mean up to 1.7 million fewer people smoke by 2075 – saving tens of thousands of lives, saving the health and care system billions of pounds and boosting the economy by up to £85 billion by 2075. It would also avoid up to 115,000 cases of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases.
Smoking will not be criminalised, and our phased approach means anyone who can legally buy cigarettes now will not be prevented from doing so in future.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “No parent ever wants their child to start smoking. It is a deadly habit – killing tens of thousands of people and costing our NHS billions each year, while also being hugely detrimental to our productivity as a country.
“I want to build a better and brighter future for our children, so that’s why I want to stamp out smoking for good. These changes will mean our kids will never be able to buy a cigarette, preventing them getting hooked and protecting their health both now and in the future.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, said: Smoking damages many lives. It causes stillbirths, asthma in children, heart disease, stroke and dementia in addition to causing most lung cancer and increasing risk of many other cancers.
“Becoming addicted to cigarettes in early life is one of the worst things that can happen for future health. Preventing people becoming addicted to smoking, and helping those who smoke to quit are two of the most important measures we can take to improve health.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Smoking kills, places a huge burden on the NHS and costs the economy billions every year.
“Through this landmark step we will protect our children, grandchildren and the health service from the dangers of smoking long into the future.
“And while vaping is an effective tool for adults quitting smoking, we are determined to tackle the concerning surge in children vaping, driven by marketing and flavouring which appears to specifically target young people.”
The government has also announced a further major crackdown on youth vaping, by announcing an intention to consult on plans to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children.
Vaping is rightly used by adults as a tool to quit smoking, but the health advice is clear – if you don’t smoke, don’t vape and children should never vape. It is already illegal for children to vape but in a worrying trend, youth vaping has tripled in the last three years, and more children now vape than smoke.
To ensure we get the balance right between protecting our children and supporting adult smokers to quit the government will bring forward a consultation.
The consultation will look at:
Restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children – we want to ensure this is done in a way that continues to support adult smokers to switch.
Regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them, such as sweets.
Regulating vape packaging and product presentation, ensuring that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children.
Restricting the sale of disposable vapes, which are clearly linked to the rise in vaping in children. These products are not only attractive to children but also incredibly harmful to the environment.
We will also close loopholes in the law which allow children to get free samples and buy non-nicotine vapes.
Enforcement activity will also be strengthened, with an investment of £30 million to support agencies such as local trading standards, HMRC and Border Force to take action to stop underage sales and tackle the import of illicit tobacco and vaping products at the border.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable death and costs the NHS billions of pounds each year. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital because of smoking.
“This is a momentous public health intervention and we welcome the government’s bold and ambitious action which will lead to longer and healthier lives. A smokefree generation will relieve an enormous burden on our NHS.
“Stop smoking services help hundreds of thousands of people every year quit for good. With double the funding – now £140 million – even more people will be able to access this free service to kick the habit once and for all.”
Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive, Michelle Mitchell OBE, said: “Raising the age of sale on tobacco products is a critical step on the road to creating the first ever smokefree generation.
“The Prime Minister deserves great credit for putting the health of its citizens ahead of the interests of the tobacco lobby. Investing more in stop smoking services is essential for the nation.
“Smoking places huge pressure on the NHS and the economy – with over 500,000 hospital admissions every year in England attributable to smoking.
“We will support the UK Government to quickly implement legislation to raise the age of sale, alongside their investment of more money in stop smoking services.”
Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, needlessly taking many lives prematurely.
“We welcome this important initiative from the Prime Minister to limit its damage to the health and well-being of our nation.”
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “The Prime Minister has today announced an unprecedented set of measures to protect the next generation and hasten the day when smoking is obsolete.
“Children are four times as likely to start smoking if they grow up with smokers, and once they do it’s highly addictive and difficult to quit.
“The twin track approach of raising the age of sale and tougher enforcement to stop young people starting, matched by substantial additional funding to motivate addicted smokers to quit and provide them with the support they need to succeed, will help get us on track to a smokefree future.
“We look forward to the day when smoking is no longer responsible for avoidable ill health and perinatal mortality in babies and young children, nor the leading cause of premature death in adults.”
The government will also continue to drive forward its agenda to support current smokers to quit for good, by:
More than doubling the current funding for stop smoking services, investing an additional £70 million a year to expand locally delivered and cost-effective services. This will support around 360,000 people to quit smoking;
Providing an additional £5 million this year and then £15 million a year thereafter to fund national tobacco marketing campaigns to explain the changes, the benefits of quitting and support available;
Rolling out a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – supporting 1 million smokers to swap cigarettes for vapes – the first national scheme of its kind in the world.
It comes on top of previous interventions such as the introduction of plain packaging on tobacco products, raising the age of sale from 16 to 18 and banning smoking in public places – all of which have had a significant impact on smoking rates.
In particular, raising the age of sale reduced the prevalence of smoking among 16/17-year-olds by 30%.
Overall, the number of people who smoke has reduced by two thirds since 1974, when smoking was at its peak.
Dr Camilla Kingdon, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: As a children’s doctor, I am in no doubt that both smoking and vaping are terrible for the health of babies, children and young people.
“The prime minister’s announcement is hugely welcome.”
Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said: “The Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges welcomes the Prime Minister’s bold announcement to effectively end smoking in the UK.
“The damage done by smoking affects everyone, from unborn babies through to our oldest family members. The best way to prevent these harms is to reduce and ultimately bring an end to smoking in the UK.”
Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE, GP, said: “As a GP of 35 years’ standing, I have seen the terrible irreversible damage that smoking does to health.
“It is much easier to never have started smoking, than trying to stop once a habit has formed. Opportunities to smoke must not be available to children, and anything that prevents a smoking habit is worth supporting.”
Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “Smoking is a major cause of cancer and many other conditions that require surgery, as well as affecting recovery after an operation.
“By reducing the number of people who smoke, these measures will save lives and reduce the need for surgery.”
Dr Sarah Clarke, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Papworth Hospital Cambridge, said: I welcome all measures to reduce uptake of smoking and make it obsolete once and for all.
“Investment in Public Health messaging and cessation services will all contribute to this. I see too many lives ruined by smoking.”
Health is a devolved issue and the Scottish Government has yet to announce it’s response to Westminster’s initiative.
VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer, has announced that it will open 15 new stores by the end of 2023.
The new stores will offer specialist stop smoking advice will offer specialist advice to local communities throughoutEngland, Wales and Scotland, increasing the specialist’s UK footprint to over 160 stores.
The growth comes amidst VPZ’s launch of its new vape recycling service in partnership with WasteCare across all its stores in response to the rising environmental concern over disposable vapes.
Doug Mutter, Director, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our brand expansion and mission of supporting adult smokers to quit whilst bringing our own innovative recycling services to tackle the negative environmental impact of disposable vaping.”
VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer, is set to open 15 new stores by the end of 2023.The new stores will expand the brand’s presence in communities throughout the nation, with key locations in Cardiff, Aberdeen and Newcastle Metrocentre set to increase the specialist’s footprint to over 160 stores.
The growth comes amidst VPZ’s launch of its new vape recycling service in partnership with WasteCare across all its stores in response to the rising environmental concern over disposable vapes.
The service is open to all vapers, as anyone can visit any store within the VPZ network and dispose safely of their vaping devices or e-cigarettes.
VPZ is pushing ahead with growth at a time when the UK is moving towards ambitions to be Smoke Free by 2030.
To date, Edinburgh-based VPZ has already helped over 700k smokers in the UK quit since it was established in 2012.
Doug Mutter, Director, said: “As the UK’s leading vaping specialist, we are spearheading the fight against the nation’s number one killer – smoking.
“Our plans to open fifteen new stores and the launch of our vape recycling service reflect our ambition to help more smokers take the first steps on their quit journey and properly address the environmental impact of disposable vapes.
“There has been a rising concern of disposable vapes on our environment, as more and more devices are being discarded in our community areas.
“Our innovative recycling service is a definitive step in cleaning up local spaces throughout the country and educating adult vapers on being responsible and using more sustainable vaping products.”
The NHS in England recently announced its world-first innovative swap-to-stop initiative to encourage smokers to switch to vaping in its ambition to create a smoke-free nation. The scheme will provide a vape starter kit alongside behavioural support to 1 million smokers in their journey to quit and improve the nation’s health through cutting smoking rates.
A further report from the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group backs vaping as an effective treatment for tobacco dependency and recommends that it should be included and encouraged in all treatment pathways. The report also found that the long-term impact of vaping is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
VPZ has already called on both the UK and Scottish Governments to introduce tighter controls and licensing for selling vaping products both in physical and online retail environments.
Despite continued efforts during the past two years to develop positive dialogue with the Scottish Government, VPZ has been excluded from an industry-wide online roundtable event today (September 6th) to discuss policy options to reduce the environmental impacts of single use e-cigarettes.
Doug Mutter, however welcomed news that First Minister Humza Yousaf would hold a consultation on a single-use vape ban as he set out his priorities for the coming year.
Doug Mutter said: “Despite all the evidence of vaping already helping the UK towards its 2030 goal, there is still a looming challenge in the industry, as many imported, unregulated, disposable vapes are readily available to underaged people at local convenience stores and other general retailers with no age verification control.
“This issue has extended to online retailing where products are accessible and available to young people with limited or no age restrictions.
“This is a significant problem that threatens the huge progress of vaping in transforming the health of the nation and helping the country meet its 2030 smoke-free targets.
“We have urged the Scottish Government to act now and follow best practice from countries like New Zealand where physical and online retailers must be licensed, where stringent age verification frameworks are in place and consultation is aimed towards adult smokers and vapers.
“As the country’s leading vaping retailer we have made sustained efforts to develop positive dialogue and support the development of a transformative smoke free strategy – however we continue to be ignored.
“Alarmingly we have also been excluded from a roundtable event today (September 6th) which draws on insight and participation from a host of industry experts on how we tackle the impact of disposable vaping products.
“We are fully supportive of a disposables ban and we have also introduced a pioneering recycling scheme that leads best practice across the sector.
“News that the Scottish Government will consult on curbing the sale or an outright ban on disposables is fully welcomed, but as the leading authority for the industry we are asking for a seat at table and the chance to help them seize this once in a lifetime public health opportunity.”
UK Government seeks views on adding pack inserts to tobacco products to encourage smokers to quit
Pack inserts are used internationally including in Canada and Israel, and proven to encourage people to give up smoking
Initial report on the Major Conditions Strategy to be published today
The UK government will seek views on adding pack inserts into tobacco products to encourage more smokers to quit as it launches a new consultation today.
Placed inside the packaging of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, they would contain positive messages to encourage people to quit and signpost them to advice and support.
The messages set out the health benefits of quitting – for example, improvements to breathing within a matter of days and a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack within a year – as well as showing smokers how much money they stand to save by giving up, with the average person likely to save over £2,000 per year if they quit.
Smoking remains the single leading preventable cause of illness and mortality in the UK. It results in nearly 4% of all hospital admissions each year – equivalent to almost 450,000 admissions. Tobacco-related harms are also estimated to cost taxpayers an estimated £21 billion every year, including over £2 billion in costs to the NHS.
Although smoking rates in the UK are at an all-time low, by taking further action, the government will seek to cut waiting lists and reduce the burden on the NHS. Introducing pack inserts into all tobacco products in the UK could lead to an additional 30,000 smokers giving up their habit – delivering health benefits worth £1.6 billion.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Smoking places a huge burden on the NHS, economy and individuals. It directly causes a whole host of health problems – including cancers and cardiovascular disease – and costs the economy billions every year in lost productivity.
By taking action to reduce smoking rates and pursuing our ambition to be smokefree by 2030, we will reduce the pressure on the NHS and help people to live healthier lives.”
The consultation – which opens today – will seek views on the introduction and design of pack inserts.
Pack inserts are already used in other countries – including Canada and Israel, with Australia also announcing its intention to introduce them – and there is evidence that they can be an effective means of encouraging smokers to quit.
An evaluation of the policy’s impact in Canada found that almost 1 in 3 smokers had read the inserts at least once in the past month, and that those who were exposed to the inserts multiple times were significantly more likely to try to give up smoking.
The consultation builds on a recent package of measures designed to drive the government’s ambition to be smokefree by 2030 – which means reducing smoking rates to 5% or less.
These measures include:
Funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – the first of its kind in the world – to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit, alongside expert support
Launching a financial incentive scheme – in the form of vouchers alongside behavioural support – to support pregnant women to stop smoking, with an aim to reach all pregnant smokers by the end of next year
A new strategy to combat illicit tobacco, which will outline efforts to catch and punish those involved in the illegal market
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “Smoking is very addictive, and it takes smokers on average thirty attempts before they succeed in stopping, so encouraging them to keep on trying is vital.
“Pack inserts do this by backing up the grim messages about death and disease on the outside with the best advice about how to quit on the inside.
“They will help deliver not just the Smokefree 2030 ambition, but also the Major Conditions Strategy, as smoking is responsible for all six major conditions from cancer to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, as well as dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal disorders.”
The consultation launch comes as the government publishes an initial report on its Major Conditions Strategy – which covers the six groups of conditions accounting for 60% of all ill-health and early death in England.
One in four people in England live with two or more major long-term conditions, and the initial report sets out the direction for the strategy to tackle these groups of conditions – cancers, cardiovascular diseases (including stroke and diabetes), musculoskeletal disorders, mental ill health, dementia and chronic respiratory conditions.
This includes by addressing key risk factors and lifestyle drivers of ill-health and disease, including smoking, which is a direct contributor to all six groups of conditions covered by the strategy. For example, it is the biggest cause of cancer, with one in every five cancer deaths in England connected to smoking.
A world leader in reducing smoking rates, UK levels are currently at their lowest on record at 13.3%. But across the UK, 1 in 7 adults still smoke – around 6.6 million people – and the impacts on the NHS and economy are significant.
Tobacco also costs the economy in England an estimated £14 billion in lost productivity every year, due to lost earnings, unemployment and early deaths. The average smoker stands to save approximately £2,000 per year from giving up their habit.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Back to Basics
12th of July is National Simplicity Day in the UK, and in honour of the day dedicated to simple living, this healthy tip takes heart health back to the basics.
Our health, the food we eat and the exercise we do (or don’t do) are hot topics and it can feel overwhelming and far from simple.
In this week’s healthy tip, we are stripping back the noise and detailing a few easy things we can all start doing from today for a healthy heart.
Mediterranean diet
This way of eating emphasises eating lots of plant-based foods and healthy fats and can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains (brown rice, wholemeal bread etc), nuts and seeds and extra virgin olive oil. Eat moderate amounts of fish (especially omega-3 rich fish like salmon) and dairy products. Eat little meat (opt for lean chicken and turkey), sweets, sugary drinks, and processed foods.
30 minutes of exercise
Exercise for 30 minutes at least five days a week. Adults should be active for 150 minutes a week and you can break this up however you like.
Start small if you need to. If you don’t currently have an exercise routine, a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week will significantly impact your heart health for the better.
Alcohol & smoking
If you smoke, seek support and work with a professional to help you stop. There is support available so be sure to ask for help. Drinking small amounts of alcohol is unlikely to cause serious consequences alongside a healthy lifestyle, but heavy drinking is a big risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week spread over three or more days, but also state that there is no completely safe level of drinking so skip the alcohol where possible.
For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly healthy tips at:
A report published yesterday by Healthcare Improvement Scotland finds that people want more to be done to limit the sales of tobacco products.
The survey, commissioned by the Scottish Government, asked questions which will form part of a refreshed plan to be published this autumn, to support a tobacco-free Scotland.
The Citizens’ Panel survey, which ran between November 2022 and February 2023, found that of the 667 people who responded to the survey, 75% want more action to be taken to further limit who can sell tobacco products, and while 63% agreed the legal age to buy them should be raised from 18 to 21, 25% were opposed.
Some 65% agreed that Scotland should increase the legal age of the sale of nicotine vaping products from 18 to 21 years.
In addition, the survey found that 80% of respondents said that they either strongly agreed or agreed that action should be taken to further limit who can sell nicotine vaping products. Just 9% either disagreed or strongly disagreed.
In addition, 67% felt packaging, in pack information and the appearance of cigarettes should be made more unappealing. Some 64% agreed that taxes on tobacco and vaping products should be raised, but nearly a quarter of respondents (23%) disagreed with this.
There was also wide agreement that the smoking ban should be widened to create more smoke-free areas where children congregate, such as outside schools and play parks, with almost nine in ten respondents (86%) in agreement. Just 8% disagreed.
The report recommends that the Scottish Government considers including all the measures that have the strongest public support in its Tobacco Action Plan 2023.
It adds that the Scottish Government should then consider further around more punitive measures, such as raising the age of purchase and raising taxation on tobacco and vaping products. After assessing the impact of these measures, these could also be implemented following a staged approach.
Clare Morrison, Director of Community Engagement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland said: “As Scotland looks to become tobacco-free in the near future, this shows that the majority of people believe more should be done to limit access for younger people to tobacco and vaping.”
