Tobacco Tax Rise Set to Reduce Youth Smoking in Wales

Smokers are to pay nearly £1 more for cigarettes as the UK Government rises tobacco duty tax in the UK. According to the health charity ASH Wales, the rise is likely to price cigarettes out of the reach of young people in Wales.

Earlier this month the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt released the Spring Budget which raised tobacco tax to 2% above inflation (RPI). The rise will mean a packet of 20 cigarettes will increase by 95 pence, taking average prices to more than £14 a packet.

The move has been welcomed by the tobacco control charity ASH Wales, who mark that raising prices is one of the most effective ways of reducing smoking rates, especially amongst young people. In Wales, 9% of 15-16 year olds smoke on a regular basis, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for a decade.

The price increase is welcomed by ASH Wales after recent research by the University of Essex found increased tobacco tax is effective at reducing smoking rates in those aged 25 and younger.

The research suggests those in younger age groups are more sensitive to price changes, which means a rise in price often translates to lower youth consumption of cigarettes.

According to ASH Wales smoking is an addiction of childhood. According to the charity’s latest YouGov survey, the majority of adults in Wales (77%) had their first cigarettes under the age of 18.

The charity marks that public support to protect youth health is strong in Wales, as 73% of Welsh adults are in favour of Government action to limit youth smoking.

ASH Cymru CEO, Suzanne Cass, said: “Smoking is such a deadly addiction we need to do everything we can to keep these tobacco products out of the hands of children. With more than 6,000 children taking up smoking every year in Wales, clearly there is still work to be done.

“Pricing tobacco products out of the reach of young people makes tobacco less affordable and less accessible.

“We know the younger you start smoking the more likely you are to smoke in later life. Raising tobacco prices helps to limit this pathway, and in turn helps to reduce smoking related harms in both adults and youth in Wales.”

The tobacco industry lobbies against tax increases, arguing that high taxes cause illicit trade, however, Roger Mapleson, Lead Officer for Tobacco from Trading Standards Wales, said these claims are unfounded:

“With the average price of a packet of 20 cigarettes doubling in the last ten years you would expect the trade of cheap illegal tobacco to increase, in fact the sale of illegal tobacco, whilst still a problem, has decreased.

“The illegal tobacco market makes up 10% of all tobacco sales in Wales and makes it easier for children to start smoking and brings crime into the community. However there is little evidence that price increases translate into significant increases in the illegal trade.

“We would encourage anyone who knows anything about the sale of illegal products to report it through Wales’s national reporting portal Noifs Nobutts.”

Anonymous reports of illegal tobacco sales, underaged tobacco sales, and illegal tobacco sellers can be made via the Welsh reporting portal: noifs-nobutts.co.uk

ENDS

 

Notes

  • UK Government Spring Budget was published on Weds 15th March 2022, and can be found here.
  • Research from the University of Essex (2021), can be found here.

 

For further information contact:

 

Simon Scheeres |Policy & Public Affairs Manager| simon@ashwales.org.uk | 07841 571 516|

 

About us:

 

ASH Wales Cymru is the leading organisation working for a smokefree Wales via strong tobacco control policy and country-wide campaigns. We work to raise awareness of the health, economic and environmental effects of smoking by engaging with communities, young people and partners across Wales.

 

NB: Please refer to ASH Wales as a health charity/ tobacco control organisation.

 

Website www.ash.wales  Facebook www.facebook.com/ASHCymru

Twitter www.twitter.com/ASHWalesCymru

Study shows quitting smoking lowers stress, anxiety, and improves mood

Smokers are being urged to use this No Smoking Day, March 8th, to stub out stress after research showed quitting can make you happier and be as good as antidepressants on symptoms of anxiety and low mood.

A national drive by charity ASH Wales and Public Health Wales aims to dispel the myth that smoking effectively deals with stress and encourages smokers to take up free NHS support.

The latest YouGov survey for Wales shows over 50% of smokers, including those with mental health problems, would like to quit. Thousands of smokers across Wales will use No Smoking Day as the start of their quit journey.

According to ASH, smoking does not address the root causes of stress and actually increases anxiety and tension.  This is due to the addictive chemical in tobacco, nicotine, which produces feelings of irritability and stress when a smoker craves a cigarette. These withdrawal symptoms increase feelings of stress in those already experiencing this condition.

Beyond stress, the charity is highlighting research which found that smokers who quit for six weeks or more were happier than those who continued to smoke.

The research was conducted in 2021, and was published within the Cochrane Library, which is often seen as the gold standard for medical research and review.

The study found those who successfully stopped smoking could feel the mental health benefits in as little as six weeks, and that these benefits were felt even years later.

The study also found that quitting smoking held similar benefits to antidepressants in reducing anxiety and depression.

This year’s No Smoking Day theme was inspired by the ever-increasing financial burden of smoking and the impact this addiction has on mental health. Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said:

“Smoking is not a lifestyle choice, it is an addiction. The cost of living, increased stress, and poor mental health are all acutely felt by smokers.

“Our work has shown that many turn to smoking to relieve the stresses of modern life, without realising that smoking could be making things worse.

“Many think cigarettes are a good stress reliever, when in fact research shows that smoking is not an effective or safe way of dealing with stress. Today is a chance to address these misconceptions, and to signpost the brilliant NHS help that is available in Wales.”

Fiona Edwards is an NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner who supports people living with mental health conditions to quit. She said:

“People with mental health conditions are just as motivated as anyone else to quit smoking, but are often scared to leave behind what they view as a crutch for stress.

“Though, every year I see people quit and actually improve their levels of stress in the long-term, while also improving their physical health too.

“Taking charge of your physical and mental health through quitting smoking is really empowering, and I applaud anyone who is taking positive steps towards going smoke-free.”

Liz Newbury-Davies, Principal Public Health Practitioner for Tobacco Control at Public Health Wales said:

“Stopping smoking doesn’t need to be stressful as the free NHS ‘Help Me Quit’ smoking cessation service is on hand to help you go smoke-free.

“Smokers that receive support with our experts have the best chance of quitting for good, and are up to 300% more likely to quit when compared to going it alone.

“Help Me Quit services provide tailored support and free stop smoking medications worth up to £250. Our support is available in a range of options including through the telephone,  face-to-face in community venues, or via local pharmacies and hospitals.”

Join thousands of smokers across Wales this No Smoking Day who are using March 8th to commit to quitting. Beyond No Smoking Day, support is free in Wales and available all year.

For free support please contact ‘Help Me Quit’ on: helpmequit.wales. Alternatively, the service can be reached by calling 0800 085 2219, or by texting 80818.

Supplement:

HEALTH BENEFITS OF QUITTING

Beyond mental health, what are the psychical benefits of quitting smoking?

8 Hours after quitting

Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood reduce by half and your oxygen levels return to normal.

24 hours after quitting

Carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body; lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.

48 hours after quitting

There is no nicotine left in your body and the ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.

72 hours after quitting

Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax, and your energy levels should start to increase.

2-12 weeks after quitting

Circulation improves. Oxygenated blood is flowing around your body and helping to improve your health.

3-9 months after quitting

Coughs and wheezing reduce, and how well you can breathe increases by up to 10%.

1 year smokefree

Your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

10 years smokefree

The risk of getting lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker.

15 years smokefree

Your risk of a heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

Notes

  • Cochrane study into mental health benefits of stopping smoking, found here, here and
  • Physical benefits of stopping smoking found here.
  • ASH Wales YouGov Survey found here.

Crackdown on Criminals Selling Illegal Tobacco to Children in Wales

A national campaign to stop criminals offering children illegal tobacco has been launched after a new survey revealed over a third of children that smoke in Wales had been approached by sellers.

The Wales-wide survey of over 1,000 11 to 16-year-olds showed that 32% of current smokers had been offered cheap illegal tobacco and 25% had gone on to buy it.

According to latest research from ASH Wales, illegal tobacco makes up 10% of the entire tobacco market, funds criminality in the community and makes it easy for children start smoking.

The NEMS survey, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, showed children in Wales were most likely to be offered illegal tobacco by friends or family (39%), in educational settings (17%) and in shops (11%).

The study also indicated that children who had bought illegal tobacco were highly likely to buy it every time they were offered it (89%).

Welsh Government, Trading Standards and the tobacco action group ASH Wales, have launched a national drive to encourage members of the community to anonymously report information about illegal tobacco through the NoIfs-NoButts website.

Lynne Neagle MS, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said: “I am aware of the recent research from NEMS and I am concerned by this. When we protect our children from illegal tobacco, we protect them from life of possible tobacco addiction.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, a fact that dominates our health landscape. That’s why the Welsh Government has set a target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030, meaning less than 5% of the population smoking.

“I am especially committed to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of children and I urge anyone to report sellers who break the law.”

The survey also revealed that of the children who bought illegal tobacco, over 50% said it allowed them to continue smoking because it was cheaper and easier to get hold of.

Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said the case for action was now very clear: “Smoking is not a lifestyle choice it is a deadly addiction that nearly always starts in childhood.

“These latest figures show that far too many children in Wales are being offered and sold illegal tobacco by criminals who don’t care how old they are or about the laws we have in place to protect them.

“Cheap illegal tobacco creates a gateway into smoking because its cheap and easy to get hold of. We need communities across Wales to pull together and report these illegal sales and protect our children.”

Illegal tobacco takes many forms, which includes:

  • ‘Cheap whites’, which are cigarettes mass produced in one country and smuggled to another.
  • Fakes, which look like well-known brands.
  • Genuine tobacco smuggled into the UK with no-duty paid (often cheap and display foreign languages).

Reports gathered from the Government’s Noifs- NoButts website have already led to raids across Wales. Last month alone, a quarter of a million cigarettes and 20Kg of rolling tobacco were seized in raids across North Wales.

Trading Standards Tobacco Lead in Wales, Roger Mapleson, said: “The extent of the impact of this criminality on our communities should not be underestimated.

“With nearly one million illegal cigarettes being smoked in Wales every single day, illegal tobacco is being sold in every corner of Wales.

“We are dedicated to finding those that break the law, seizing illegal product, causing maximum disruption, closing down their operations and prosecuting criminal behaviour.“

In 2021, Welsh Trading Standards teams confiscated over 3 million illegal cigarettes off the informal black market. If you know anyone who is selling illegal tobacco in Wales, an anonymous reporting portal can be found at: noifs-nobutts.co.uk.

Notes:

2022 NEMS Survey Results: 11-16 year olds total sample: 1022

Heard of illegal tobacco 54%
Current smokers 7%
Current smokers who smoke daily 52%
Current smokers who smoke cannabis 41%
Ever been offered illegal tobacco (current smokers) 32%
Those who have bought illegal tobacco when offered (current smokers) 24%
Frequency of purchase when offered (illegal tobacco buyers) 89%
Tried illegal tobacco (current smokers) 36%
Ever bought illegal tobacco (current smokers) 25%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: shop (illegal tobacco buyers) 11%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: friend / family member (illegal tobacco buyers) 39%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: educational setting (illegal tobacco buyers) 17%
  • The 2014 Illegal Tobacco Survey (NEMS), can be found
  • The recent 2022 NEMS survey was run by ASH Wales, and was funded by Welsh Government.
  • More information about illegal tobacco in Wales, found
  • Recent North Wales raid (original press release), found
  • 2021 figures from national illegal tobacco raids in Wales (original press release), found here.
  • Noif- No Butts reporting portal found here.

Welsh Smokers Faced with Choosing: Smoking, Heating, or Eating

Welsh Smokers are choosing between smoking, heating, or eating, as the cost of living deepens in Wales.

Concerns have been raised by the health charity ASH Wales and Welsh NHS services, who have both seen a rise in smokers seeking support.

According to ASH Wales, smoking is not a habit but an addiction, which explains why smoking can lead many into financial hardship. For context, a packet of cigarettes now costs in the region of £12.

Research conducted by ASH has found that smokers now spend on average £2,451 a year on cigarettes, which is the cost equivalent of an average energy bill in Great Britain.

The high cost of cigarettes coupled with the high cost of living has caused many smokers in Wales to seek support.

According to the NHS stop smoking service at Hywel Dda University Health Board, there has been a rise in smokers who want to quit, in a bid to reduce spending.

Fiona Edwards, a NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner working in Carmarthen, said:

“The cost of smoking is substantial, and in recent months we have seen many smokers access services as they are faced with choosing between smoking, heating, or eating.

‘Many people will think this an easy choice for smokers to make, however, it is worth noting that smoking is an addiction which often requires specialised intervention and support.

‘The current climate has prompted many smokers to seek help to reduce their spending.”

Helen Poole, a NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner working in Cardiff has also seen a rise in smokers concerned with finances. She said:

“The cost of smoking is substantial and continues to be one of the main motivators for people to stop smoking.

‘The cost of living crisis is felt across Wales, and is acutely felt by those trapped in tobacco addiction.”

In light of the surge in smokers facing financial difficulty, the charity ASH Wales have launched a financial health campaign.

The ‘Switch, Quit and Save’ campaign and has been created in partnership with ASH Wales, Welsh money advice services, and local health boards.

The campaign signposts smokers to cheaper and less-harmful tobacco alternatives, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine gum.

The campaign also signposts smokers to the national stop smoking service, ‘Help Me Quit’, which offers free nicotine therapies and stop smoking support.

Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, marked the benefits of stopping smoking. She said:

“The current climate is difficult for everyone, and it is especially hard on those trapped in the financial drain of smoking.

“Smoking  is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, costing many lives and needless pounds .

‘I urge anyone to utilise the current climate as a springboard to improve finances and overall health by stopping smoking.”

Free specialist stop smoking support is available to all smokers in Wales, and can be accessed through Helpmequit.wales.

Case study:

Jordan Lee is a 25 year old housing officer living in Carmarthenshire. After joining the ‘Quit, Switch and Save’ campaign, Jordan has managed to stop smoking 9 cigarettes a day.

Jordan explained why he decided to become smoke-free.

“I am by no means penniless or destitute, but like many, I have been hit hard by the rise in bills’.

‘It actually got to a point where I was rationing my cigarettes over Christmas, to keep my costs down’.

‘Like any smoker, I found cutting down to be painful and extremely hard. Rather than drawing out the inevitable, I just had enough and decided to quit.

‘ I got hold of patches through my local pharmacy, and  I am now 20 days smoke-free; which I am shocked but happy with. The parches were itchy to begin with, but they definitely reduced my cravings in the first few days.

‘ A lot of people will think that health is a primary reason for quitting smoking, but for me, paying £11-12  for a packet of cigarettes was an expense I could no longer justify, especially given how expensive everything has become.

‘The cost of living crisis is difficult for everyone, and for me it was the catalyst I needed to change.

‘While cost was a main motivator, I have noticed that my breathing has improved over the last two weeks.

‘My advice to anyone thinking of quitting would be: if you are serious about giving up smoking, your health and finances will thank you later down the line.”

Beyond finances, the benefits of stopping smoking are immediate. In as little as 72 hours breathing becomes easier and smoking debris begins to clear from the lungs.

After 1 year of quitting, the risk of a heart attack halves compared to a smoker. After 10 years of smoke-free, the risk of lung cancer also halves compared to a smoker.

Notes

  • ASH UK research on smoking & poverty (with annual average spending estimates), found here.
  • The health benefits of stopping smoking can be found here.
  • The national stop smoking service, ‘Help Me Quit’, is found here.
  • The ASH Wales ‘Quit, Switch & Save’ campaign, can be found here.

Welsh Smokers Encouraged to ‘Switch, Quit and Save’

  • A new campaign has been launched to help ease the financial cost of smoking in Wales.
  • Smoking not only impacts health but also impacts personal finances.
  • The ‘Switch, Quit and Save’ campaign highlights how much money smokers can save by quitting or by switching to tobacco alternatives.

A new campaign has been created to help ease the financial pressures of smoking. The ‘Switch, Quit and Save’ campaign has been launched to highlight how stopping smoking can not only improve personal health, but can also improve personal finances.

The campaign has been launched by the tobacco control organisation ASH Cymru, a charity that offers help and support to smokers across Wales.

According to the charity, Welsh smokers face significant costs due to smoking, which becomes apparent when taking the high costs of cigarettes into consideration.

According to ASH Cymru, smoking 20 a day could be costing around £84 per week, or £360 per month. The price could also increase depending on brand.

Based off these estimates, a 20 a day smoker could save upwards of £4000 a year.

The new campaign seeks to highlight these savings amidst the rising costs of living. Through highlighting these costs the campaign seeks to add financial wellbeing to the already long list of benefits of becoming smoke-free.

While the costs of smoking remains high, the campaign signposts free stop smoking services and cheaper alternatives. Notably, the campaign encourages smokers to seek free support from the national stop smoking service ‘Help Me Quit’.

The service offers free expert support, free stop smoking medication (worth up to £250), and weekly sessions with a dedicated stop smoking advisor. The support can be given face-to-face or over the phone, and is available to all smokers in Wales.

In addition, the campaign highlights that free nicotine inhalers can be accessed through many pharmacies across Wales.  The campaign also flags the benefits of switching to shop bought nicotine patches or gum: which can be cost effective when used to help quit smoking.

The campaign also marks the health and financial benefits of switching to other tobacco alternatives, such as e-cigarettes. According to the national survey of Wales, e-cigarettes remain the most popular quitting tool in Wales. In 2019, 76% of current Welsh vapers marked that they used this method to help quit smoking.

According to ASH Cymru, vaping can be seen as a less harmful alternative to smoking in the short to medium term. While the charity does not recommend their use to children or never smokers, it marks that vaping can be seen as a holding ‘a fraction’ of health risks of smoking, while also holding a fraction of the cost.

To compliment the campaign, ASH Cymru has teamed up with Public Health Wales to create information resources. Resources include a fact sheet designed for financial advisors when discussing the financial costs of smoking. The new fact sheet will be used within Money Advice Services at Cardiff Council, with the aim to:

  • Highlight the health and financial benefits of going smoke-free.
  • Highlight cheaper alternatives.
  • Signpost to free stop-smoking support in Wales, such as the ‘Help Me Quit’ service: which can improve quit success up to 4 times.

Suzanne Cass, ASH Cymru’s CEO, spoke about the merits of the new campaign. She said:

“As the cost of living becomes an increasing concern for everyone in Wales, our new campaign offers a way to ease the financial burden of tobacco for many smokers.

‘Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and the new campaign marks quitting’s financial benefits too.

‘The new campaign raises these benefits, in a bid to show that many smokers can pocket the difference of going smoke-free this winter”.

If you are interested in finding more about the campaign, more information can be found at: ash.wales.

If you are interested in stopping smoking this winter, free NHS support can be reached at: helpmequit.wales

Vaping and the cost of living

Amid the inflation and economic instability, many have been finding it hard to afford their regular expenses. According to the British Standards Association, about 36% of people are relying on savings to get through the current financial crisis, while 13% of people have no savings whatsoever.

The cost of living crisis highlights how ditching cigarettes for vaping could actually:

  • Reduce the financial pressures of the current climate.
  • Reduce the harms of tobacco on health

In this blog we will explore the financial and health implications of making the switch.

Cost of Cigarettes vs Vapes

As inflation soars, cigarettes can be seen as a significant financial drain. Estimates from Wales’ NHS stop smoking service show that a 20-a-day smoker can spend over £277 a month on cigarettes. To put this into perspective, average energy bills are estimated to rise by approximately £693 a year in Wales, which means that money spent on tobacco could help soften the blow of the upcoming surge.

In 2018, researchers from the University College London found that switching from tobacco to vaping led to savings in the region of £800 a year. To break this down, a standard 10 ml bottle of e-liquid can sit in the region of 3 to 5 pounds, depending on brand and nicotine strength used. In contrast,  a standard packet of 20 cigarettes currently sits in the region of 12 pounds. Based off this simple breakdown, if a single bottle of e-liquid were used a week, this would fall far below the cost of a single packet of 20 cigarettes.

How do E-Cigarettes actually work?

E-Cigarettes (also known as vapes) are battery-powered devices that heat liquid containing nicotine. Users inhale the vapor produced by liquids when they are heated. The devices can be seen as a less damaging smoking alternative that can satisfy nicotine cravings.

E-liquids are available in a variety of flavours and strengths, which in turn gives users control over how much nicotine they consume.

Health

By switching to vaping, current research marks that tobacco users will be less exposed to harmful chemicals that cause: cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease.

In Wales, tobacco is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and is estimated to take the lives of approximately 5,000 people each year. Research indicates that while vaping is not risk-free, it is significantly less harmful than smoking.

Researchers at King’s College London recently conducted a study which concluded that: in the short to medium-term, the risks of vaping carries a ‘fraction’ of the risks of smoking. The research reviewed over 400 international studies, and has been marked as the largest of its kind.

The study highlights that:

  • The levels of exposure to cancer-causing (substances) and other toxicants are drastically lower in people who vape compared with those who smoke.
  • While not completely risk-free,  vaping is ‘substantially’  less harmful than smoking in the short and medium term.

Case Study

Many UK health boards have taken a proactive approach to those keen to switch to less harmful alternatives.

One such health board is Hywel Dda, who have recently taken practical steps to offer advice and support to patients within mental health services. Mental health units in Wales have recently become smoke-free, in line with smoke-free hospital grounds across the country. The new legislation means that many patients enquire about alternative nicotine delivery methods, such as vaping.

To compliment support, the health board has recently signposted to a particular vaping company to mental health patients seeking to make the switch. These steps have been taken to provide practical support to smokers, in a bid to facilitate less harmful tobacco alternatives.

Cath Einon, Smoking & Wellbeing Team at Hywel Dda University Health Board states:

  • “We have always been a Vape friendly service as our specialists are passionate about reducing the harm caused by tobacco. Use of safer forms of nicotine has long been part of the treatment we give and, over the years, we have found that vapes have become a popular alternative to the licensed pharmacotherapy that we traditionally gave access to.”
  • “Our staff receive regular training on vaping and our conversations with users keep us on top of trends.”
  • “It is important that services with knowledge of nicotine addiction are able to support users whatever form this nicotine takes, and our main aim is reducing the harm caused by tobacco use and support our local population to live healthier lives.”
  • “We also offer licensed nicotine products to assist vape users to come off the vapes using behavioural support and relapse prevention skills.”

Along with behavioural support and assistance from the hospital, patients work towards reducing the amount of nicotine they are using until they can stop vaping altogether.

Summary

In terms of health, current research indicates that switching to  e-cigarettes can significantly reduce the harms of smoking. Based off the economic costs of smoking, there is also strong potential for e-cigarettes to offer more affordable alternative to tobacco. In light of this, vaping can offer a less-harmful and affordable alternative to smoking in Wales.

References