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Politicians must overcome ‘nanny state’ worries to improve Britain’s health
Policymakers that want to boost the country’s stalling life expectancy and reduce yawning health inequalities are doomed to fail unless they get over their aversion to bans, taxes and regulation, a think tank warns today.
New research from the Social Market Foundation suggests that policies like higher taxes on cigarettes, alcohol and junk food, stricter licensing regulations to limit places to buy such products and regulations on marketing like banning ads before a 9pm TV watershed could all help save lives. By contrast, ‘softer’ approaches like educational and information campaigns are likely to have less of an impact.
On obesity, the review found that regulatory interventions saved 1.7 times as many healthy years of life as choice-based interventions. Educational interventions to inform people of the risks of harmful drinking have little to no evidence of effectiveness, and the same was true when it came to gambling.
Habits like smoking, drinking diet and lack of exercise are believed to account for 40% of all premature deaths, and have contributed to life expectancy falling in recent years. However, government action has been inconsistent. The Tobacco Control Plan that is meant to deliver a smoke free England by 2030 has been delayed, proposed restrictions on junk food advertising and ‘buy on get one free’ deals have been postponed, and alcohol taxes have fallen in real terms.
Dr Aveek Bhattacharya, SMF Research Director and author of the report, said: “People are increasingly waking up to the scale of the public health challenge facing the country, which means far too many people suffer needlessly and die too soon.
There is a natural tendency towards wishful thinking and hoping that this can all be solved the ‘easy way’, through education and information. But if politicians remain unwilling to tax and regulate harmful commodities, they leave the most powerful tools at their disposal in the box. Such measures are more politically contentious, but they are necessary and lifesaving.”
Source: Londonlovesbusiness, 27 July 2023
See also: Social Market Foundation’s briefing - Carrots and sticks: Can governments do without public health regulation?
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Two-thirds of Irish public support disposable vape ban
Around two thirds of the public want the government to ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes, new research shows.
A survey carried out by the independent polling organisation Ipsos found that 64% of respondents support the banning of disposable e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, while only 28% opposed the measure and 8% were unsure.
Just over one thousand adults aged 15 and overtook part in the Ipsos survey between July 3-15.
Of the 1,016 people questioned, 57% in the 15-24 age group supported a disposable vape ban, while half of the 24-35 cohort were in favour.
Source: Mayolive, July 27 2023
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Interview: Stores to require signs warning about the dangers of cigarette smoking
Starting July 1, some 220,000 stores in the US will be required to post signs warning of the dangers of cigarette smoking. Cigarette sellers have until September 30 to post the signs. Dennis Henigan of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids joins us to talk about the new rule, and what effect it could have on curbing smoking.
Source: WUGA July 27 2023
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Video: MPs call for a ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco companies
Cancer Research UK have produced a video of MPs in Parliament calling for a ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco manufacturers. The MPs include Andrew Gwynne (Labour), Maggie Throup (Conservative), Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru), Martyn Day (Scottish National Party), Bob Blackman (Conservative), Steve Brine (Conservative), Alex Cunningham (Labour) and Liz Twist (Labour).
A levy would require tobacco manufacturers to pay a levy or fee to the Government to fund measures to help smokers quit.
Source: Cancer Research UK Policy Twitter July, 27 2023
See also: Cancer Research UK Petition: Help tackle the biggest cause of cancer
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Podcast: Let’s talk e-cigarettes with Sarah Pratt
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Associate Sarah Pratt, Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth University, New Hampshire, USA.
Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Associate Professor Sarah Pratt from Dartmouth University. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches.
Sarah Pratt discusses her research and her study of e-cigarette provision to people with serious mental illness to support them transitioning away from combustible tobacco.
Sarah and her team conclude that development of a behavioural intervention in addition to e-cigarette provision seems warranted to prevent morbidity and early mortality in this high-risk group of smokers.
Source: University of Oxford Podcasts July 17 2023
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