Smokefree Action Coalition Calls for Decision over Standard Packs for Tobacco

Over 78,500 children have started smoking since UK Government’s consultation on standardised tobacco packaging ended

This Valentine’s day the Smokefree Action Coalition is calling on the UK Government to take action and “have a heart” by committing to legislation to make all tobacco packaging standard. Today is the tenth anniversary of the implementation of the ban on tobacco advertising and the seventh anniversary of the Commons vote for smokefree legislation.

The clock is ticking. Since the consultation on the legislation ended just over six months ago, it is estimated that 78,500 children will have started smoking in the UK, a number which grows by 430 every day. Now the Smokefree Action Coalition, an alliance of over 190 health organisations including ASH Wales, the BMA, medical royal colleges, public health bodies, academic institutions and health charities are calling on the Government to publish the results of its consultation and announce that it will go ahead with legislation.

Currently in the UK, there are no restrictions on the way tobacco multinationals are allowed to promote their brands through packaging. The packs are now the principal form of tobacco promotion and are designed to attract existing and potential consumers with colourful and eye-catching imagery.

Elen de Lacy, Chief Executive of ASH Wales, said:

“It’s time to make attractive tobacco packaging history and to introduce standard packs in the UK. No more pink and shiny packaging or tobacco packs that look like perfume boxes. No more slim-line cigarettes with ‘Vogue’ on the cover which are targeted directly at teenage girls. Smoking kills and we must take away the tobacco industry’s last form of advertising to our children.”

Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:

“As a young doctor I was depressed to see so many patients in their 50s and 60s suffering because they had started smoking as children. Back then there was very little we could do, but now we have the opportunity to help protect our children by implementing standardised packaging.”

Smoking is a childhood addiction, not an adult choice. More than 150,000 children start smoking each year in the UK. Half of all lifelong smokers will die from their addiction, amounting to over 100,000 people last year in the UK.

Putting tobacco products in standardised packs is a popular measure. Opinion research shows that 62% of the public support the plain, standardised packaging of tobacco products, with more smokers supporting than opposing the measure. Over 200,000 people have expressed their support for the introduction of plain, standardised packaging of tobacco products in the UK. Internationally, standardised packaging is already in place in Australia which became the first country to implement such legislation in December 2012.

It’s time for the UK to follow suit.

A day in a life of a hospital smoke-free enforcement officer

If you light up a cigarette in the grounds of Nevill Hall or the Grange University Hospital, you will probably end up having a chat with one of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s Smoke-Free Enforcement Officers, Matt Lloyd. His job is to patrol the hospital grounds, speak with smokers and ask them to stub out their cigarettes or move outside the hospital grounds. When the Public Health (Wales) Act comes into force on 1st March 2021, he will be reminding people that it is illegal to smoke on hospital grounds and they could be faced with an on the spot fine of £100. We caught up with Matt to find out more about his job and why he is on a mission to help smokers to quit.

“]I love my job and it really keeps me on my feet. No day is the same and I never know what reaction I’m going to get from smokers when I approach them.

There are lots of different places where staff, patients and visitors can tuck themselves away for a smoke on the hospital grounds and dealing with that is a constant battle.

The smoke gets through the vents of the hospital windows and it can have a damaging effect on patients. A hospital is a place where people come to get better

and patients suffering from asthma and heart conditions really should not have to be exposed to other people’s smoke. There are also lots of ex-smokers coming in. Walking into the hospital through a cloud of smoke could be the trigger that gets them smoking again.

Dealing with the daily situation is very challenging, particularly at the moment. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, visitors can’t go into the hospital, so they drop their relative outside and have a smoke while they wait. Meanwhile, staff are under immense pressure, some of them go outside for a break and take the opportunity to have a cigarette. If they are willing to have a chat, I will discuss other options for stress relief and remind them that breaking the policy is a disciplinary offence.

People come to the hospital with serious medical problems and visitors can be pretty stressed and emotional. I make a point of always approaching people with a smile and trying to be as helpful as I can. I explain why we have this smoke-free policy and I talk to them about second-hand smoke and how it affects other people. About 90% of people do move on and I always try to leave them with a smile as well.

If somebody refuses to stop smoking, I talk to them again about why we have the policy and the law that is soon to be introduced. If it’s a patient I can contact their ward manager who can offer them Nicotine Replacement Therapy to help with cravings. It is everybody’s responsibility to support the smoke-free policy and up-coming law to make sure we offer our staff, patients and visitors a positive experience when using our NHS services.

quitting smoking covid-19

When I approach someone who is smoking, it’s a great opportunity for me to encourage them to quit smoking by contacting Help Me Quit or taking up the help that’s available within the hospital including free nicotine replacement therapy. I always hand out Help Me Quit leaflets and regularly set up a stall in the hospital lobby with information about quitting for those who want to take the opportunity.

The new law coming into force on March 1st will mean that we can hand out £100 fines. That’s a steep penalty and I think it will encourage people to respect the rules a lot more. There will of course be people who don’t comply but I’m hoping it will encourage more people to think about where they smoke and how it is affecting others.

The Health Board is also installing loudspeakers at the main entrances to both hospitals, that alert smokers that they shouldn’t be smoking here. Anybody can press the button if they see a smoker, which will be a big help in keeping the hospital smoke-free and will give people the confidence to challenge smokers.

I really enjoy the challenges this job brings and that fact that no day is the same. You never know what reaction you’re going to get from person to person. It keeps me on my feet. I don’t just talk to people about smoking, I’ve had patients telling me their life stories and supported staff in times of stress.

Even though I’m there to enforce the policy, I want to be a friendly face so that people feel they can come to me for advice and if they do want to quit, I can offer information about where they can get professional help.

How I Beat 46 Years of Addiction and Quit Smoking

Susanne, from Cwmbran, quit smoking on 5th December 2020, after 46 years of addiction. She started smoking at just 15 years old and had tried to quit many times before. This time, something changed.

What inspired you to quit smoking?

A few months earlier, my grandson asked me why I smoked. I couldn’t really give him an answer, only that I was addicted. He asked if I was bothered that it’s bad for you and can kill you.

He said, “I am worried Granny that you won’t be here long enough to see me grow.”

That shook me. I hadn’t long lost my mum and was still grieving. Every time I lit a cigarette after that, I thought about what my grandson had said. I knew I had to do it for him and my other grandchildren.

What impact was smoking having on your life?

I’d suffered with very high blood pressure for years and taken lots of different medications that didn’t seem to work. The next step would have been beta blockers, likely for life. Then there was the breathlessness. I was finding it harder and harder to do everyday things, even just walking up the stairs.

Financially, I couldn’t afford to smoke, yet I always found the money somehow. If I thought I wouldn’t be able to buy cigarettes, I would panic. I even had the odd panic attack. I’d lie awake worrying in case I didn’t have enough to last until I could get to the shops. It was taking a serious toll on my mental wellbeing.

Did you get any help to quit?

I started by searching online for support and looking into what help was available locally. During the pandemic, face to face services were limited, so I was relieved to find the NHS Help Me Quit service.

I filled in my details and received a call back within 48 hours.

I was given a personal adviser, Vicky. We talked through my smoking habits and what nicotine replacement products would work best for me. She arranged everything over the phone and sent a prescription so I could collect what I needed from the chemist free of charge. Vicky continues to check in regularly, and I can contact her if I ever need extra support or advice about the products.

How did you find the experience of quitting?

After many failed attempts over the years, I really tried to prepare mentally this time. I kept going over my reasons for stopping in my head.

I smoked my last cigarette, put on a 21mg patch, and haven’t looked back. Being in the right mindset, reminding myself why I was quitting, and knowing someone would be checking in with me made a huge difference. Using nicotine replacement therapy meant I experienced very few withdrawal symptoms. It was much easier than I expected.

How has quitting smoking improved your life?

My health has improved so much. I can walk up the stairs without getting breathless. My sense of taste and smell are stronger. I sleep better and no longer have panic attacks linked to cigarettes or worrying about running out.

Most importantly, my grandson is so proud of me. That means everything. The money I’ve saved will go towards my grandchildren, with something extra special for the grandson who gave me the push I needed.

What advice would you give to any smokers out there who would want to quit but think they can’t do it? 

I would say try, try, and keep trying as at some point you will do it. My grandson was my motivation, find something that makes you determined to stop. Keep thinking of it for a few days before you actually stop.

I’d also definitely get in touch with the NHS FREE service, get your own advisor who will get you the right NRT products and have these to hand as soon as you have smoked that last cigarette.

Just go for it… I am almost 6 weeks smoke free and feel so much better for it. Be proud of yourself for everyday you are smoke free and with each day remember you are repairing your body from all the harmful chemicals you used to inhale.

Go for it! Be proud of yourself…..You can do it!

My life as a hospital stop smoking counsellor

Helen Poole is a smoking cessation counsellor based at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff who has been enabling smokers to quit the habit for 20 years.  We met her to find out more about the patients she supports and how even long-term heavy smokers can give up for good.

The main qualities you need to do this job are empathy and understanding. You don’t need to agree with somebody’s behaviour, you just need to have empathy with what they are going through.

Many of the hospital patients we work with are very vulnerable and they feel judged. We are not there to judge them we are there to motivate them.

The smokers I work with are already patients in the hospital and they come to us because they’ve become so ill from smoking that they need to stop to protect their health.  They come from all walks of life – everybody is different and we have to respect what they are going through.

We sometimes meet drug addicts and alcoholics and hear about what they have gone through in their lives and it really is quite tragic. Often people come across as aggressive but actually this is just because they are frightened.

In our work we use a combination of a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approach and motivational interviewing.  This involves providing empathy and support and empowering people to believe in themselves again.

We encourage them to change their behaviour but a lot of our patients can’t drastically change their lifestyle as they may already be in a wheelchair or with chronic respiratory problems.   So instead, we encourage them to find a new hobby that fits their lifestyle. Such as playing cards or board games. One patient I worked with even took up matchstick making.

Most of our patients started smoking around 10 or 11 years old. We had one who had first tried cigars at 3 and was smoking by the time he was 6.  They just don’t know life without a cigarette and they don’t know how to get through the day without one.  They were brought up as part of a generation where it was normal and it is that generation that is coming through now and being hospitalised with respiratory problems.

It’s very difficult to change that mindset which is why we offer long term support. We see them every week for first month then every three months, every six months, every 9 months and every 12 months. We also provide nicotine replacement therapy products on a long-term basis.

I’ve seen numerous success stories of even really long-term heavy smokers giving up for good so we know it’s possible with the right support.

I worked with a grandma in her 70s who loved spending time with her grandchildren.  But she was wheelchair bound and could no longer walk on the sand with them on family holidays. She stopped smoking and her circulatory problems improved. Four months later she managed to kick a football to them.

I also worked with a patient recently who had really suffered with mental health problems and had made several suicide attempts.  Since she stopping smoking there have been no more suicide attempts and she is just so proud of what she has achieved.

Stopping smoking changes people lives and I’m proud to have played a part in that.  Our hospital patients they are very vulnerable and smoking is at the front of their minds. This provides a really good motivational opportunity to engage with them which is why hospital-based smoking cessation support is so effective.

How to make your school gates smoke-free

Chloe Barrell is a Health Promotion Practitioner for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and has been helping schools across the region to adopt the Smokefree School Gates campaign. She explains how schools can get started and what the process involves:

What is Smokefree School Gates?
Smokefree School Gates is a campaign started by ASH Wales that encourages parents, staff, visitors and passers-by not to smoke at the school gates. Schools that apply to join the scheme are given a Smokefree School Gates plaque that they can display to show that they support the campaign and to remind people not to smoke by the gates. The campaign is coordinated by Healthy Schools Coordinators across Wales.

smoking schools walesHow do you spread the message about Smokefree School Gates to schools?
The main way of spreading the word about the Smokefree School Gates campaign is through the Healthy Schools Coordinators across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. They promote the scheme through newsletters sent to schools. For example, I’ll put together a piece with photographs of a school which has gone smoke free and include direct quotes from parents and teachers about the positive effects the plaque has had. I will offer the plaques on a first come, first served basis and give the schools a deadline to apply by emailing me directly.

What happens once schools get in touch to request a smoke free school gates plaque?

I’ll place an order for plaques with the printing company. I usually give a deadline of approx 3 months, and can have as many as 35 requests in one term. The printing company usually delivers the plaques within a week or so then I arrange a time for them to go out to the schools, usually within a month. There is no cost to the schools.

Apart from putting up the plaque or window sticker, what else can schools do to show that they have adopted the policy?

What we ask in return for the plaque is that they display the plaque in a prominent position, they update any policies they have regarding smokefree areas and notify the parents on the updated policy. Finally, we ask that they identify an action they could take as a school, such as some kind of activity with the children explaining the reasons why they have been awarded a plaque. I go into schools to deliver assemblies and take in Help Me Quit cards and leaflets and, where possible, I encourage positive conversations with parents about quitting.

It’s never too late – you can quit smoking at any age and any stage

Did you know that it’s never too late or early to quit smoking – your health will improve, no matter how long you’ve been lighting up.

It can be tempting, when you’re a long-term smoker, to think the damage is already done so there’s no point in giving up.

That’s where you’re wrong. Your body starts to recover within minutes of you stubbing out your last cigarette and within a year your risk of a heart disease will be half that of a smoker.

Meanwhile younger smokers may believe the long term effects of smoking are so far off that they can put off giving up.  This is another myth.  For every 15 cigarettes you smoke, a mutation will occur in your cells that could later lead to cancer. So what you do now really matters.

For smokers of all ages, the cost of buying cigarettes or tobacco puts a huge strain on finances, with 20-a-day smokers spending a whopping £3796 on cigarettes.  Giving up this habit could free you from debt and improve your quality of life.

Our message to smokers in 2021 is that you can quit at any age and any stage.  It is never too late or too early to quit the habit. Quitting smoking will always been the best decision you’ll ever make to protect your health and boost your finances.

In Wales, free NHS stop-smoking support is available through Help Me Quit, which can help you choose support and treatment that suits you.

We hope you enjoy our Any Age, Any Stage campaign. To kick things off here are some reasons why you should quit in 2021.

Bouncing back

The health benefits of quitting smoking kick in within just 20 minutes of you stubbing out your last cigarette

 Within 20 minutes: Your pulse rate returns to normal

 Eight hours: The nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your body reduce by more than half and your oxygen levels return to normal

48 hours: Carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body and the lungs start to clear out mucus and smoking debris. By this time there is no more nicotine in the body and your sense of taste and smell will be better.

72 hours: Your energy levels will im

prove as breathing becomes easier and your bronchial tubes start to relax

2 to 12 weeks: The blood circulation improves

3 to 9 months: Lung function increases by up to 10 per cent and coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve

 1 year: Your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker

10 years: The risk of you developing lung cancer has fallen to half that of a smoker

15 years: You now have the same risk of having a heart attack as somebody who has never smoked in their life

Smoking, health and Covid-19 – the facts

  • Every cigarette you smoke contains 7,000 chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and ammonia. 69 of these chemicals cause cancer.
  • Half of all smokers will die prematurely and smokers die on average 10 years younger than non-smokers
  • Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as non-smokers
  • For every 15 cigarettes you smoke, a mutation occurs in your body, which could lead to cancer.
  • Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is also a major cause of heart disease and doubles your risk of having a heart attack.
  • The Covid-19 pandemic has made quitting smoking even more of a priority, with research showing that smokers are far more likely to suffer more severe symptoms from the virus and are up to three times more likely to become infected.

Money, money, money

When you quit smoking, you’ll have a far healthier bank balance.

If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day you’ll be saving £72 a week and £312 a month once you quit. Within a year of giving up you’ll have an extra £3796 a month in your pocket.

Meanwhile 10-a-day smokers will find themselves £156 a month and £1898 a year better off once they quit.

Those who prefer to smoke rollies will save £480 a year if they smoke 5 a day, £960 a year, for 10 a day and if they smoke 20 a day, an incredible £1921 a day.

Friends and family

By stopping smoking you’ll improve the health of your family and friends by reducing their exposure to second-hand smoke, which carries significant health risks.

Exposure to other people’s smoke raises the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 20 to 30% and coronary heart disease by 25 to 35%.

Children are most at risk from the harms of second-hand smoke because their respiratory systems are still developing

 

Home sweet home

Your home will be a happier and healthier place once you quit smoking. When you smoke in your home, 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible and it lingers around the house for up to 5 hours.

As well as posing a health risk to your family and friends, third hand smoke, the residue left behind after smoking, builds up and stains surfaces and furnishings.

When you smoke in the home, you put the health of your pets at risk.  Second hand smoke can cause breathing problems and even cancer in cats, dogs, birds and fish.