ASH Wales Welcomes New Plan to Tackle Tobacco Use

Public health charity ASH Wales has welcomed the publication today of a Draft Tobacco Control Action Plan for Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government. The Action Plan contains proposals to reduce adult smoking prevalence rates from 24% to 16% by 2020.

Commenting on the release of the Action Plan ASH Wales Chief Executive Tanya Buchanan said: “We are delighted that the Action Plan has finally been published and that all parties will now be able to comment on the proposals. I urge all those interested in protecting and improving the health of Welsh people and future generations to respond to the consultation. This is an historic day for public health in Wales and the best news since the smoking ban was introduced in 2007. The Action Plan is the first such strategic plan for Wales which aims to systematically address smoking prevalence rates which have stagnated at 24%, and ensure our young people are protected from second-hand smoke.

“Of equal importance is the need to provide assistance to smokers who want to quit and we welcome the news that consideration is being given to developing online services for smokers and training for health professionals.

“It is unfortunate that the Welsh Assembly Government has not been bolder and agreed to implement the measures to protect children from tobacco advertising and marketing by banning shop displays of tobacco and the sale of tobacco from vending machines. Wales has its own powers to introduce these measures and it must be bold and get on with it.”

ASH Wales is a member of the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance, an alliance of 30 voluntary sector and professional bodies in Wales, and Alliance partners have also welcomed the publication of the Draft Action Plan:

Delyth Lloyd, Press and Public Affairs Manager, British Heart Foundation Cymru: “Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Smokers are twice as likely to have a fatal heart attack as people who have never smoked. British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru welcome the announcement of a Tobacco Control Plan by the Welsh Assembly Government. We hope this strategy will provide the broad vision in Wales that is necessary to address the heavy health inequalities and health consequences caused by smoking, smuggling and the continuing problems of exposure to second hand smoke in Wales.”

Jean King, Cancer Research UK’s Director of Tobacco Control: “The publication of a comprehensive tobacco control action plan is very welcome. The terrible death and suffering caused by tobacco demands that the plan needs to be implemented as ambitiously as possible. Communications campaigns to support people to quit, leadership at local level and Welsh Assembly Government support for price increases, removal of tobacco displays and plain packaging of tobacco are especially important.”

Chris Mulholland, Head, British Lung Foundation Wales: “Reducing exposure to second-hand smoke is especially important to protect children’s lung health. In a car, smoking just one cigarette, even with the window open, creates a greater concentration of second-hand smoke than a whole evening’s smoking in a pub or a bar. Worse still, children’s lungs are more vulnerable to damage than an adult’s, as their immune system is not fully developed. Protecting our children must be top priority. They should not be forced to smoke.”

Notes

The consultation on the tobacco control action plan can be viewed on the Welsh Government website.

ASH Wales Launches New Initiative to Tackle Ill Health in Wales

ASH Wales, the charity that protects children from becoming addicted lifelong smokers, has today launched an exciting new initiative to bring together health professionals, academics, community and business leaders, as well as national and local government officials, from all over Wales to find creative solutions to Wales’s growing public health problems.

Launching the Wales Tobacco or Health Network (WTHN), at its inaugural event being held in Cardiff, Chief Executive Tanya Buchanan commented: “We need creative solutions to tackle our health problems in Wales. Not enough attention is given to preventing disease, instead we spend vast sums of money year after year treating disease rather than concentrating resources on preventing ill health in the first place.

“Smoking kills over 5,500 people every year in Wales and all of these deaths can be prevented. We know that health risk behaviours are interlinked and to effectively improve the health of Welsh people we need to address smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity and poor diet holistically. This new Network will ensure we don’t work in isolation and will improve partnership working between business, government bodies and the voluntary sector.”

Delegates will hear from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, who is supporting the Network: “I am delighted to support the launch of the Wales Tobacco or Health Network by ASH Wales. This is an exciting initiative that is highly important to public health in Wales. Tobacco use claims 5650 lives each year in Wales and costs the NHS more than £1 million a day in treatment costs. Addressing the enormous human and financial burden caused by tobacco requires a concerted effort.

“The Wales Tobacco or Health Network is a good example of where individuals can make a real difference. The current smoking prevalence rates in Wales have remained at 24% for the last three years. The new Network has a vital role to play in developing our capacity to effectively address tobacco use in Wales in order to drive down our unacceptably high rates of smoking.”

The WTHN will also be supported by the Excellence in Tobacco Control Awards for Wales which will recognise the good work already being undertaken in tobacco control and cessation activities.

Delegates will hear about the success of Ireland’s implementation of the behind the counter tobacco display ban, trends in adolescent smoking in Wales, evidence for protecting children from smoking in cars, and discuss the implications of the Welsh referendum.

Notes

All individuals interested in tobacco control in Wales are invited to join the Wales Tobacco or Health Network. Click here for more information.

Is quitting smoking the secret to a happier life?

For Immediate Release

Is quitting smoking the secret to a happier life?

As the New Year approaches and people are feeling the economic pinch what better time is there to give yourself a great new start to 2011 by quitting smoking? Not only will your wallet feel the benefit you will also be giving your health the best boost of all.

New research from scientists in America(1) found a clear link between quitting smoking and an enhanced mood. The scientists measured smoker’s moods during their first 6 months of quit attempts and found that those who were successful in quitting were the happiest whilst those who gave up their quit attempt were the unhappiest of all the groups studied.

The researchers from Brown University and the University of Southern California tested 236 male and female smokers who wanted to give up smoking for symptoms of depression at different stages over a 28-week period.

Tanya Buchanan, Chief Executive of ASH Wales, said: “This new research suggests that giving up smoking actually relieves symptoms of depression and pours cold water on the claim that smoking eases anxiety and depression. We already know that quitting smoking results in significant health benefits but this study suggests there are also mental health benefits as well.

“There has never been a better time to quit smoking. Smoking kills around 5650 people in Wales every year and it is the single most preventable cause of premature death. Smoking is an addiction and I know how hard it can be for some people to give up but there is help and support available from Stop Smoking Wales so you don’t have to go it alone.”

Data Sources

(1) Kahler, C.W., Spillane, N.S., Busch, A.M., & Leventhal, A.M., 2010, Time-Varying Smoking Abstinence Predicts Lower Depressive Symptoms Following Smoking Cessation Treatment, Oxford Journal.

ASH Wales Welcomes News on Plain Packs

For Immediate Release

ASH Wales, Wales’s leading public health charity campaigning against the harm caused by tobacco, has welcomed news that the Westminster government is considering introducing plain packaging for cigarettes but warns that it must press ahead with a ban on behind the counter displays of tobacco as soon as possible.

UK Health Secretary Andrew Lansley made the comments ahead of the publication of the Government’s White Paper on Public Health.

Tanya Buchanan, Chief Executive of ASH Wales, commented: “We welcome the news that the Government is seriously considering the case for plain packs. However, we are stilling awaiting news of the Government’s review of the ban on behind the counter sales of tobacco. Recent research from the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies has shown that a ban on behind the counter displays of tobacco will have little impact on retailers and is effective in reducing the attraction of smoking amongst teenagers. If the Government is serious about reducing the attractiveness of smoking to young people then it is imperative that they press ahead with the display ban without delay.”

ASH Wales and RNID Cymru concerned about second-hand smoke linked to hearing loss

For Immediate Release

ASH Wales and RNID Cymru have united to draw attention to the link between smoking and hearing problems in the light of two new studies released earlier this month.

New research studies from America and Belgium revealed a link between smoking (active and passive) and permanent hearing damage as a result of smoking disrupting the flow of blood to the ear.

The link with smoking and ear damage has been increasingly evidenced and documented over the years but there has been limited information about any causal link with passive smoking.

Tanya Buchanan, Chief Executive of the public health charity ASH Wales, said: “These new studies will further add to the growing body of evidence about the adverse health effects of smoking, both active and passive. The Royal College of Physicians report into passive smoking and children earlier this year found that passive smoking in the home is a major health hazard to children and causes 120,000 cases of middle ear disease in children each year as well as a range of other disorders.

“Most people know that smoking gives you serious illnesses like cancer, heart and respiratory disorders but I don’t think many members of the public are aware of the consequences on their hearing or that their smoking affects others, particularly children. That is why we want to raise awareness of these issues so that the public have the best information available to them.

“We do need to do more to protect children and young people from secondhand smoke and reducing smoking rates amongst all groups will help reduce their exposure. But we also need to address smoking in the home and in cars in which children are present. ASH Wales ran a programme to promote the benefits of smokefree homes in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan but we need to see this rolled out across Wales. We also need to have a sensible debate about the dangers of secondhand smoke to children in cars.”

“Doctors already know that people who smoke regularly can damage their hearing”, said Richard Williams, Director of RNID Cymru – the charity taking action on hearing loss.

“Now, this report has found that there is an increased risk of people losing their hearing if they are exposed to passive smoking too. I just can’t see why people would expose others – their friends and loved ones – to the possibility of hearing loss, which we know causes social isolation, depression and frustration”, he added.

Young People More Likely to Buy Smuggled Tobacco

Tobacco smuggling represents a serious problem for public health as well as a financial loss of tax revenue for the Government.

New evidence released today gives a better picture of smoker’s attitudes to buying illegal and counterfeit tobacco and a disturbing picture of the illicit tobacco market is emerging. Interviews with smokers across the South Wales Valleys found that 68% were more interested in cost than where their cigarettes come from.

The results also revealed that younger smokers are much more likely to purchase smuggled tobacco than older smokers with over half (52%) of 16 to 34 year olds admitting to buying cheap tobacco compared to 41% of 35 to 54 year olds, and 36% of the over 55’s.

The research, released by ASH Wales in conjunction with Swansea University, will be presented at the international Smokefree Futures Tobacco Control Conference taking place in Cardiff later today.

Tanya Buchanan, Chief Executive of ASH Wales, commented: “We have been aware for some time that smuggled tobacco is a bigger issue in more socially disadvantaged areas and this evidence further supports that. Smoking prevalence rates are already much higher in these areas and are already creating significant ill health for residents. Unfortunately, this evidence also means that measures to protect children from accessing age restricted tobacco products are being undermined by tobacco smuggling.

“It is vital that the Welsh Assembly Government’s Tobacco Control Action Plan currently being drafted addresses tobacco smuggling and that they work closely with the UK government on this issue. There is no evidence that banning the display of tobacco products behind the counter increases tobacco smuggling. Tobacco smuggling is a very complex issue and there are many factors which impact on the presence of smuggled tobacco including the presence of organised crime, effective enforcement, effective intelligence networks etc. We need a co-ordinated multi agency approach to tackle large scale organised smuggling.

“It is also important that Trading Standards across Wales are funded to conduct ongoing tobacco control operations including test purchasing and authenticity work. A register of tobacco retailers would provide an additional level of transparency about genuine tobacco retailers. It is good to know that the Welsh public are concerned about this issue with 75% of adults supporting a crackdown on tobacco smuggling.”

Other statistics released include:
  • 24% of people had bought cheap UK brand tobacco products
  • 13% of people had bought a foreign brand of cigarettes or tobacco not normally found in the UK
  • 9% of people had bought tobacco products that they knew were smuggled into the UK
  • 8% of people had bought tobacco products that they knew were fake or counterfeit

ASH Wales carried out a survey of young smokers across South Wales in 2008 which revealed that 1 in 8 young people were purchasing cigarettes at a price below the Recommended Retail Price at the time, strongly suggesting that smuggled tobacco products are widely available to young people. Furthermore, 7% of young smokers said they were able to purchase single cigarettes as cheaply as 30p per cigarette.

Since the 1990s action by UK departments, particularly HM Revenue and Customs, the Border Agency and other enforcement agencies, have reduced the proportion of smuggled cigarettes in the UK from 21-30% of the total market to approximately 13% of the total market in 2008.

Data Sources

  • The Black Market in Tobacco Products. DTZ Pieda Consulting, May 2000.
  • HM Customs & Excise Annual Report 2000-2001.
  • HM Revenue & Customs: Departmental Report, July 2008.