ASH Wales Responds to British Medical Association’s Research on Smoking in Cars

Research released by the British Medical Association (BMA) provides strong evidence that smoking in cars is harmful to non smoking passengers, with children and the elderly particularly vulnerable.

The BMA are calling on all UK governments to ban smoking in private vehicles because of the high levels of exposure to toxins.

ASH Wales Chief Executive Elen de Lacy responded:

“We already know that children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke with exposure increasing the risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases.

We were pleased when the Welsh Government announced during the Summer that they would consider banning smoking in cars when children are present but we want to see legislation introduced at an early stage along with a public awareness campaign. There is already strong public support for such a ban with four out of five Welsh adults supporting us, and BMA’s research shows why legislation is needed now to protect our children from dangerous toxins.”

ASH Wales Welcomes News on Tobacco Vending Machine Ban

ASH Wales has welcomed the overwhelming cross-party support given by Assembly Members today to protect children from accessing tobacco products from vending machines in Wales.

The Protection from Tobacco (Sales from Vending Machines) (Wales) Regulations 2011 were debated in Cardiff Bay this afternoon. The Regulations, which are due to come into force on 1st February 2012, will ban the sale of tobacco from vending machines throughout Wales.

ASH Wales Acting Chief Executive Carole Morgan-Jones said:

“We are delighted that the motion was passed today. One in 5 young smokers tell us they can purchase cigarettes from unsupervised vending machines. These regulations will protect children from having easy and illegal access to cigarettes.

“It’s an important public health measure to safeguard future generations and an integral part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle the harm that tobacco causes to Welsh communities. ASH Wales, along with members of the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance, look forward to the Welsh Government’s Tobacco Delivery Plan later this year.”

Number of Young Children Taking up Smoking

New figures released today by public health charity ASH Wales show that each day in Wales an estimated 38 teenagers who have never smoked before try smoking cigarettes, introducing them to a truly deadly product. The figures have been released ahead of a major conference taking place in Cardiff later this week.

ASH Wales and Alcohol Concern Cymru have teamed up to host the Tobacco and Alcohol: Learning from each other conference. Delegates from all over the UK and further afield will be discussing tobacco and alcohol policy and prevention at the Parc Thistle Hotel, Cardiff on 12th and 13th October 2011.

Analysis of data from the 2009/10 Welsh Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey reveals that on an annual basis, around 14,000 young people aged 11-15 who have never smoked before try smoking. That’s 269 a week.

Worryingly, the data show that between age 10 and 11, an estimated 1,000 young people tried smoking for the first time but between 12 and 13 this number more than doubled and between 13 and 14 the number trebled.

Carole Morgan-Jones, Acting Chief Executive, ASH Wales, commented:

“These figures are worrying. We know that young people progress quite quickly from experimenting with tobacco to regular use and as they get older they develop nicotine addiction. This is backed up by research we carried out in the summer of 2011. We surveyed over 1000 young people in Wales and found that a fifth of current smokers began smoking at 13 years of age. The majority (60%) of these young smokers reported that they would like help to quit and 76% thought that they were addicted.

“This is particularly concerning because early uptake of smoking is associated with heavier smoking patterns and a higher probability of becoming ill from a smoking related disease in later life. It illustrates why prevention programmes aimed at young people are so important. Breaking the cycle of childhood addiction to tobacco products is necessary to reduce the ongoing health, economic and social problems caused by tobacco in Wales.”

ASH Wales Congratulates Helen Jenkins on World Triathlete Title

Public health charity ASH Wales has offered its congratulations to triathlete Helen Jenkins after taking the World Triathlon Championship title in Beijing.

Helen joined ASH Wales as patron in October 2009 and met some of the charity’s volunteers who take part in the peer health promotion scheme. This scheme allows young people aged 16-24 to get involved in health promotion and advocacy work across Wales. The young people are offered a variety of health promotion training and personal development activities, enabling them to find out the truth about the harmful effects of tobacco and make their own informed choices.

Laura Rich, Youth Volunteer Co-ordinator said:

“Helen is a great role model for the young girls who join our programme and we are delighted that she is our patron. Her dedication and commitment to her sport is a real inspiration to so many young girls growing up in Wales who want to achieve the very best they can. That is why ASH Wales needs more young girls to join our youth advocacy programme and help us spread the message about the health effects of smoking to reduce the prevalence rates amongst teenage girls which is far too high.

“Our volunteers are delighted for her and we offer our congratulations to Helen and wish her all the best for the 2012 London Olympics.”

If you are interested in volunteering with ASH Wales, click here for more information.

Welsh Government Need to Be Bold to Protect Public Health

Public health charity ASH Wales has responded to the First Minister’s announcement that Wales could be the first country in Europe to ban smoking in cars carrying children.

ASH Wales Chief Executive Tanya Buchanan said:

“We are pleased by today’s announcement that the Welsh Government is considering banning smoking in cars when children are present but we urge the Welsh Government to introduce legislation alongside a public health campaign. Wales was the first nation in the UK to vote to ban smoking in public places, and we need the Welsh Government to be bold and take the lead in the UK on this important public health issue for the sake of our children’s health.

“We know from the evidence from Canada that provinces that introduced a ban have seen a steeper decline in children’s exposure to second-hand smoke in vehicles than provinces just running education campaigns with an average fall of over a third.

“The Welsh Government need to listen to public opinion on this issue as they have consistently supported such a ban over the past few years and 83% of Welsh adults want to see it introduced now not 3 years down the line.

“We look forward to hearing more details about the Welsh Government’s plans to measure children’s exposure to second-hand smoke but we urge them to introduce legislation concurrently with an education programme.”

Welsh Public Give Red Light to Smoking in Cars

Four out of five adults want to see a ban introduced in Wales on smoking in cars carrying children. That’s the strong message from the Welsh public in results released today by public health charity ASH Wales.

The charity is urging the Welsh Government to introduce such a ban to protect children from the dangers of secondhand smoke ahead of next week’s announcement of their legislative programme.

ASH Wales Chief Executive Tanya Buchanan said: “We know that children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke with exposure increasing their risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Each year, children’s exposure to secondhand smoke generates over 300,000 UK GP consultations, 9,500 hospital admissions, and costs the NHS about £23.3 million.

Our research shows that the overwhelming majority of Welsh adults agree that smoking should be banned in cars carrying children younger than 18 years of age. We now need the Welsh Government to listen to the public and implement a ban along with a public health campaign to highlight the dangers.”

Research by the British Lung Foundation found that 51% of 8 to 15 year-olds have been exposed to cigarette smoke in a car and over a third of children with a parent who smokes reported that the parent smokes in the car while the child is a passenger.

The campaign is being supported by members of the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance. Chris Mulholland from the British Lung Foundation Wales commented: “Today’s results show yet again that the public wants to see government action to protect our children from smoke in cars. Poll after poll shows very strong public support for this particular measure.

“Air quality in a car where someone is smoking, even with the windows open, is often worse than in a smoky pub. We should be protecting our children, not forcing them to smoke. This is another opportunity for Wales to lead, as we did when the Assembly voted to ban smoking in public places, with support from all parties.

“The evidence of harm to children and support from the public could hardly be clearer. We want to see all parties in Wales move quickly from debate to action, and support a ban on smoking in cars with children.”

Delyth Lloyd, Public Affairs Manager for British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru said: “All parents want the best for their children yet many are making their kids breathe a toxic fog of tobacco fumes when smoking in cars, which only damages their health. The Welsh Government should now look at all options available to best protect children including awareness campaigns, supporting parents to quit smoking and possible legislation. The tragedy of passive smoking is the lives cut short or ruined through ill-health as a result of someone else’s deadly habit.”