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Children are exposed to smoke in 1.8m households. What can we do?
Nearly two million children are growing up in homes with smokers and experts want more done to help new parents and pregnant women quit.
A report by Future Health Research has shown that in England there are 1.8 million family households with children in which at least one adult smokes. Passive smoking harms children’s developing airways, lungs and immune system — which can lead to chest infections — and causes about 22,000 new cases of asthma each year in the UK.
The report said that a government plan to ban smoking for younger generations was not enough to protect children because they will still be exposed to second-hand smoke from adults.
One of its suggestions is expanding a scheme that offers pregnant women up to £400 in gift cards to quit. Data shows that 8.8 per cent of women smoke during pregnancy in England, but this varies widely by region. In Lincolnshire, for example, the figure is 14 per cent. Smoking can harm unborn babies and increases the risk of complications.
Research shows that pregnant women are much more likely to give up smoking if their partners do, and the report called for advice to be targeted at expectant fathers as well as mothers, with messages about the importance of smoke-free families placed in cigarette packets.
Richard Sloggett, programme director at Future Health Research, said: “The government has announced strong and welcome action to deliver a smoke-free generation in the future. But this research shows that smoking and the harms associated with it are a reality today for nearly two million families with children.
“It’s time for tough immediate action and a levy on big tobacco profits that can be reinvested in programmes that can increase the number of smoke-free families with children, reduce the harms from second-hand smoke, limit NHS pressures and lower economic costs.”
Source: The Times, 5 December 2023
See also: Future Health Research – Delivering more smokefree families in England
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The British MPs tobacco firms love to work with
The world’s biggest tobacco companies have been extensively lobbying ministers, civil servants and MPs in a bid to influence Westminster ahead of the Government’s proposed ban on smoking.
Campaigners have warned that Big Tobacco is doing its “level best” to prevent Rishi Sunak’s administration from introducing its flagship policy to phase out smoking over a generation.
According to the annual UK Tobacco Industry Interference Index, led by the University of Bath, MPs are routinely being lobbied or acting on behalf of tobacco companies or firms that are financed by Big Tobacco.
Next week, Sir Graham Brady, one of the most powerful backbenchers in the Conservative Party in his role as chair of the 1922 Committee, will be leading a roundtable for the Centre for Policy Studies, sponsored by British American Tobacco, to discuss the Government’s proposals.
In June 2022, Tory MP Craig Mackinlay, a member of the right-wing Common Sense Group, accepted two tickets to the Queen and Adam Lambert concert at the O2 in London at a cost of £360.
Another Conservative backbencher, Mark Menzies, sponsored two events on behalf of Japan Tobacco International (JTI), one of the biggest tobacco firms in the country, last year.
The receptions were held in the Churchill Room in the Houses of Parliament, with one entitled “£49 Billion and Counting: The Black Market in Tobacco Products”.
Liz Truss has already come out strongly against Mr Sunak’s plans, pledging to vote against them in the Commons. She is a member of the Free Market Forum – along with several MPs who served in her Cabinet – which was set up by the Institute of Economic Affairs, which is part-funded by the tobacco industry.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said the “Big Four” global tobacco companies are responsible for 95 per cent of the UK market and make 50 per cent net operating profit from their products.
“Although the immediate impact on sales will be small, in the long-term it will end sales of cigarettes for once and for all,” she said. “Of course tobacco companies are doing their level best to stop the government going ahead, but they’re not going to succeed.
“The Prime Minister has made very clear that he wants the smokefree generation legislation passed before the next election, and he’s got the support of the official opposition, so this is a done deal.”
Source: the i, 1 December 2023
See also: The University of Bath – 2023 UK Tobacco Industry Interference Index
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£14,000 of illegal vapes and tobacco seized in Evesham raids
Thousands of pounds of illegal vapes, counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco have been seized during recent raids on shops in Evesham.
An estimated £14,000 worth of goods were seized as officers from West Mercia Police joined forces with Worcestershire Trading Standards as part of ongoing efforts to tackle serious and organised crime.
Two premises were searched and around £10,500 worth of counterfeit cigarettes, illegal tobacco, and illicit vapes were found inside and seized by Trading Standards.
On Tuesday, November 21 the police targeted another store which was found to have around 350 vapes which were seized from a hidden compartment. Their street value was around £3,500.
PC Adam Johns of Evesham Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “We have been acting on intelligence gathered and community concerns around the illicit sales of counterfeit cigarettes, tobacco and illegal vapes in the town, as well as under-age sales.
“These joint operations with Trading Standards have been a success, uncovering a large amount of high value counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco following good investigative work.
“These illegal products would have been destined for black market tobacco sales which are linked to organised crime groups so taking them off the streets has not only protected the public from these unregulated products but also disrupted a wider network of criminal activity that impacts our local communities.”
Source: Evesham Journal, 4 December 2023
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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.
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