The number of smoking cessation attempts in NHS Lothian has reached a record low – and Tory health spokesman Miles Briigs MSP says that’s because complacency has set in. Continue reading Smoking cessation attempts in NHS Lothian drop over last five years
Further actions to stop young people taking up smoking and raise a tobacco-free generation have been outlined. The Scottish Government’s updated Tobacco Control Action Plan sets out 44 specific actions to address health inequalities and cut smoking rates in the communities where people find it most difficult to quit. Continue reading Raising a tobacco-free generation: Action Plan published
A poster highlighting free NHS stop smoking services will be in every community pharmacy in Scotland from next week. The brand ‘Quit Your Way – with our support’ was created after research by Health Scotland found smoking cessation services should have one national identity to improve uptake. Continue reading Quit smoking your way
Continue reading On hundred organisations sign up to support a tobacco-free generation
Adults are being warned not to buy cigarettes for underage children, as part of a hard hitting campaign that has been unveiled across Lothian. Continue reading Stub it out: don’t buy cigarettes for kids
More than half preventable fire deaths involve smoking – giving up reduces the risk to everyone in a household
Smoking is the most common cause of fires where someone is killed – and Scotland’s firefighters are throwing their weight behind No Smoking Day today (9 March). Continue reading Scottish Fire & Rescue Service backs No Smoking Day
City council extends No Smoking policy
Smoking will no longer be permitted in play parks, car parks and courtyards, as well as in Council premises, as the new Smoke Free Policy comes into force. Continue reading Last gasp as council stubs it out completely
Ban on displaying tobacco in small shops comes into force today
A ban on displaying tobacco in small shops and convenience stores comes into force today. The display of tobacco products has been illegal for large stores and supermarkets since 2012 but smaller retailers were given more time to implement the legislation.
From today, the display of tobacco products is prohibited in all premises and the ban has been welcomed by public health campaigners.
Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) says the ban is an ‘important step forward’. Welcoming the ban, Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at Ash, said: “Two-thirds of smokers start before the age of 18, so it is vital that everything is done to put tobacco out of sight to protect future generations.
“The display ban in small shops will work hand in hand with standardised packs, which will be introduced in May 2016, to further protect children from glitzy tobacco packaging.”
Retailers’ organisations say the ban is unnecessary and that there is not enough proof that it will have a real effect on child smoking rates. There also believe there are other more effective means of stopping children from taking up smoking.
The Tobacco Retailers’ Alliance, said: “The introduction of the display ban into larger shops hasn’t even been evaluated, so how do we know it will work in smaller shops? Of course retailers will need to comply with the law but this is a further unnecessary measure that will hit small businesses.
“There will be real difficulties around its application, including longer transaction times, and the costs of implementation such as the installation of new gantries. Coming on top of plain packaging, it is an unnecessary burden on shops already struggling with red tape.”
The organisation says tobacco represents about a third of the average newsagent’s turnover and says the Government should crack down harder on the tobacco black market and increase resources to enforce the existing law on the prohibition of sales to young people.
Cancer Research UK’s director of cancer prevention, Alison Cox, said: “Smoking kills 100,000 people every year in the UK. It’s great that tobacco will no longer be in plain view of children and young people every time they go into a shop.
“Research shows that children exposed to tobacco displays are more likely to start smoking and removing these eye-catching, colourful walls of cigarettes will protect them from tobacco marketing.”
Scottish Government launches consultation on smoking regulations
The Scottish Government is seeking views on a number of potential changes to the regulation of electronic cigarettes and strengthening tobacco control in Scotland.
Members of the public and other interested parties are invited to give their views on a number of measures. The consultation responses will inform the development of any future legislation.
Respondents will be asked whether they think sale of e-cigarettes should be banned for those under 18. Currently there is no legal age limit for the devices. This would also include making it an offence for an adult to buy e-cigarettes for someone under age, so called proxy purchase.
The consultation will look at the establishment of restrictions on domestic advertising, which could include billboards, leafleting, brand-sharing, free distribution, nominal pricing, point of sale and events sponsorship.
The consultation includes the proposal that it should be illegal to smoke in a car if there is a child on board. This would apply if anyone under 18 was in the vehicle. The paper will also ask whether local authorities should be able to set up smoke-free zones around outdoor children’s play parks to protect children from second-hand smoke.
Another option on the table is to make it a statutory obligation for all NHS grounds to be smoke free. The Scottish Government has asked boards to do this by April 2015, but only on a voluntary basis.
Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, said: “Electronic cigarettes are relatively new, and there is very little regulation of their sale and use. This consultation is the first step towards proper regulation of the devices in Scotland. We will carefully consider the responses and decide what are the most appropriate next steps.
“It is very important we consider the restrictions on all forms of advertising on e-cigarettes, which I know is a concern to many.
“There are also some measures here to further protect children from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. This year we launched our Take it Right Outside campaign, which urges people not to smoke near children. We have set a target to halve the number of children exposed to second-hand smoke by 2020, but we are actively looking at whether there is any further legislation that could help us to achieve this target.”
To implement the tobacco products directive UK-wide health departments have already agreed to consult on regulations for cross-border advertising of e-cigarettes, including TV, radio and internet. The consultation document can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/10/5471
The consultation will run for 12 weeks and close on 2 January 2015
Thousands more quit smoking but still work to be done
The number of Scots who successfully gave up smoking for at least a month has exceeded targets by more than 50 per cent. Figures released yesterday by ISD Scotland show the smoking cessation target to deliver 80,000 one month quits were exceeded by 56 per cent with 124,734 people giving up the habit between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2014.
A target of 48,000 quits in Scotland’s most deprived areas was also exceeded, with 70,162 saying they had given up.
In total, across NHS Scotland there were 332,285 quit attempts made over the last three years with 195,355 of these attempts made in the 40 per cent most deprived areas.
Over the three year period, 13 of the 14 NHS boards met their target with some exceeding it by more than 60 per cent.
Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, said: “Giving up smoking is the single best thing anyone can do to improve their health. That is why we welcome these latest figures, showing NHS smoking cessation services are continuing to deliver positive results.
“While it’s encouraging to see target numbers exceeded, we are not complacent. Smoking rates are higher in deprived areas, contributing to health inequalities. We will continue to work to reach out to people in these communities and to help them to quit. We have also introduced a new target for NHS Scotland to support successful quits in our most deprived communities.”
Smoking has long been recognised as the biggest single cause of preventable ill-health and premature death. The Scottish Government is tackling the harm caused by tobacco use and last year set out a challenging Tobacco Control Strategy create a tobacco-free generation by 2034.
Have you managed to kick the habit? How did you do it? Let us know!
