|
|
|
|
One in eight pregnant women in Doncaster were smokers when they gave birth
One in eight pregnant women in Doncaster were smokers at the time of delivery, new figures show.
It comes as the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group forecast the Government's target to reduce rates of maternal smoking to six per cent by 2022 will only be met in 2032. The coalition said a new strategy is needed urgently.
NHS England figures for the former NHS Doncaster CCG show 356 of 2,958 mothers were smokers (12 per cent) at time of delivery in 2022-23.
It was above the national ambition of six per cent or less.
Professor Linda Bauld, co-chair of the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group, said helping more mums-to-be quit smoking spares dozens of families from losing their baby to stillbirth or miscarriage, as well as easing pressure on vital NHS services.
Nationally, 8.8 per cent of pregnant women were smoking at time of delivery in 2022-23 – a slight fall from 9.1 per cent the year before.
Dr Clea Harmer, co-chair of the group and chief executive of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity, said: "We are deeply concerned that the Government has missed their target of six per cent or fewer pregnant women smoking by 2022 and isn’t on track to achieve it until the 2030s."
She said the Government urgently needs to publish a comprehensive strategy to tackle smoking among mums-to-be and added it should include a levy on tobacco companies.
A Department of Health and Social Care said it is committed to reducing smoking rates, particularly among pregnant women.
A spokesperson added the department has a new financial incentive scheme, in the form of vouchers, which will be offered to all pregnant women who smoke by the end of 2024.
They added a smokefree treatment pathway will be introduced for pregnant women by March 2024 where women who smoke will be referred for specialist support.
Source: Doncaster Free Press 29 June 2023
See also: Press release : Government set to miss smoking in pregnancy target by nearly a decade, charities warn
Pregnant women smoking - Portsmouth average figure is higher than rest of Hampshire
Statistics on Women's Smoking Status at Time of Delivery: England, Quarter 4, 2022-23
|
|
School exams chaos as vape-hooked pupils set off fire alarms triggering evacuations
Schools are being regularly evacuated as fire alarms are being triggered by students vaping in toilets, MPs were told today.
Ms Caslin, who is the principal of St George's Academy in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, said approximately 25% of students at her school are vaping with peer pressure "a significant issue".
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, emphasised: “Action is needed and it’s needed now.”
She called for a £5 excise tax to be put on disposable vapes to make them less affordable to children and to also bring them under the excise regime which allows authorities and border force to seize illegal vapes coming into the country.
“Prohibit branding that appeals to children… and prohibit promotion of e-cigarettes in shops, put them out of sight and out of reach of children,” she added.
Dr Helen Stewart, officer for health improvement at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, emphasised her support for a ban on disposable vapes as they make up 70% of vapes used by kids.
Source: The Mirror 28 June 2023
See also: Press release: ASH will today urge the Health & Social Care Committee to call Government to account for years of inaction on vaping
|
|
Parliamentary questions
Asked by Sir George Howarth, Labour, Knowsley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of smoking cessation (a) products and (b) approaches; and what research his Department has commissioned into the efficacy of smoking cessation (i) products and (ii) approaches.
Answered by Neil O'Brien, Conservative
The assessment of the efficacy of smoking cessation products and approaches are presented in the evidence review for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline ‘Tobacco: preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence’ published 30 November 2021.
Source: Hansard 26 June 2023
|
|
Asked by Dr Matthew Offord, Conservative, Hendon
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for the roll-out of the Swap to stop scheme.
Answered by Neil O'Brien, Conservative
The national ‘Swap to stop’ scheme is currently in development and more details will be available in due course.
Source: Hansard 26 June 2023
|
|
Asked by Bob Blackman, Conservative, Harrow East
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry, published on 19 June, what plans he has to disseminate that guidance to all (a) branches and (b) levels of government and public authorities.
Answered by Neil O'Brien, Conservative
The Department has written to other Government Departments who may engage with the tobacco industry to inform them of the publication of Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry.
Source: Hansard 26 June 2023
|
|
Asked by Lord Young of Cookham, Conservative, Life peer
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to disseminate the guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care on gov.uk for government engagement with the tobacco industry to all of government, including executive, legislative and judicial branches of government at national and local level, as well as all public authorities.
Answered by Lord Markham, Conservative
The Department has written to other Government Departments who may engage with the tobacco industry to inform them of the publication of ‘Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry’ that was published 19 June 2023.
Source: Hansard 27 June 2023
|
|
Asked by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, Crossbench, Life peer
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect public policy being influenced by the commercial interests of the tobacco industry.
Answered by Lord Markham, Conservative
The Government takes obligations to protect public policy from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control very seriously.
Source: Hansard 28 June 2023
|
|
Have you been forwarded this email? Subscribe to ASH Daily News here.
For more information email [email protected] or visit www.ash.org.uk
@ASHorguk
ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
