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As the fight against coronavirus continues, the world's 1.3 billion smokers are being asked to quit to reduce their risk from COVID-19. There are also fears that the UK's 11 million ex-smokers are in danger of relapsing, due to the stress and anxiety of the global health pandemic.
Officials have said smokers with coronavirus are 14 times more likely to develop severe symptoms, as the virus attacks the respiratory system, with both smoking and passive smoking weakening lungs. Public Health England have warned that those exposed to secondhand smoke, including children, are also being put at increased risk.
Dr Pooja Patwardhan, GP and Medical Director of the Centre for Health Research and Education (CHRE), estimated that another 6 million current UK smokers – more than 14% of adults in the country – and hundreds of millions worldwide could now turn to smoking more cigarettes due to an increase in stress during the crisis.
Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England (PHE), said: "In light of this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time to stop smoking. Not only for your own health but to protect those around you. It will also help alleviate the huge pressures on the NHS."
Source: Evening Standard, 10 April 2020
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Health experts say they are seeing a surge in the number of people wanting to stop smoking as the coronavirus outbreak continues to tighten its grip.
In March, more than 200 people contacted Leicestershire’s "Quit Ready" stop smoking service to sign up. The service, which offers a 12-week, evidence-based treatment programme, is now offering support to its users remotely without them having to leave the house. The programme is run by a team of specialist advisors via the service’s helpline and an online chat service.
Councillor Lee Breckon, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “It is great to see more than 200 people setting a quit date with our Quit Ready service. Given what we already know about the negative effects of smoking on the immune system, in addition to the fact that smokers are at greater risk of developing acute respiratory infections, now is certainly a good time to take action to stop smoking.”
Source: Derbyshire Live, 13 April 2020
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Tobacco giant faces criminal inquiry
British American Tobacco is under criminal investigation by regulators in the United States over suspected sanctions-busting.
The Department of Justice and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, a financial intelligence and enforcement agency that is part of the Treasury department, are investigating “suspicions of breach of sanctions”. It is not clear which country or countries the regulators are focusing on.
BAT is one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies, operating in 180 markets where it generated £25.9 billion of revenue last year. In its annual report, it says that it is co-operating with the investigations, but is unable to assess the potential financial and other consequences, although they “may be material”. The company lists international and national sanctions regimes among its group risk factors.
In the UK, the Serious Fraud Office is investigating BAT in relation to “suspicions of corruption in the conduct of business by group companies and associated persons”, an inquiry that the fraud office confirmed more than two and a half years ago.
Source: The Times, 14 April 2020
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