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Following a surge in quitting during COVID-19, Fresh, the North East regional tobacco office, and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System are urging smokers to quit this winter with the message that it is never too late to quit. It comes as a powerful plea by respiratory consultant Dr Ruth Sharrock hits TV screens as part of the return of the “Don’t Wait” campaign.
During the pandemic, figures show a 22 % increase in quit attempts compared to 2019, with a success rate of 23%, the highest since at least 2007. In the North East, an online survey of nearly 800 people found that more than 8 out of 10 smokers who saw the Don’t Wait campaign in June took some form of action. Nearly 1 in 6 smokers, or around 49,000 people, cutting down or quitting as a result. Now, with the additional concerns of flu and other winter illnesses on the horizon, Don’t Wait is calling on all smokers to make a new quit attempt, even if previous attempts were unsuccessful.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh, said: “We are all conscious of the need to stay fit and healthy right now and not place ourselves at an additional risk of ill health. Smoking harms your fitness and your lungs, and increases the risks of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Since the start of the pandemic we have seen a big increase in smokers quitting. As the winter approaches it is incredibly important to give it a go. Don't ever give up on quitting smoking or think it is too late – no matter when you quit, it brings important health benefits at any age.”
She went on to say, “It’s been a difficult year for many of us and with thoughts turning to Christmas, the cost of smoking can also be a huge motivator for smokers looking to quit. Smoking 10 cigarettes a day costs around £150 a month, so quitting now could lead to big savings in time for the festive season.”
Source: The Northern Echo, 26 October 2020
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Less than 3% of shops in Harrow and Brent failed to pass age-restricted sales tests last year. Statistics from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards for 2019/20 showed the vast majority of those tested were successful in dealing with minors looking to buy products such as tobacco, alcohol, and knives.
In Brent, three traders out of 65 (4.6%) failed to follow the correct procedures when confronted by under 18s looking to buy alcohol. A further 38 were tested on tobacco, knives, and e-cigarettes, with all requesting ID and refusing sales where appropriate. In neighbouring Harrow, just one shopkeeper out of 19 tested slipped up when it came to tobacco sales. This represented 5.6% of tests in this section, but, with 53 traders passing across all products, just 1.9% in the borough overall.
In 2018/19, Brent’s failure rate was similar to last year at around 3%. However, Harrow’s, at almost one in ten (9.6%) was much higher.
Source: Harrow Times, 27 October 2020
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A man has been arrested, and thousands of illegal cigarettes seized after a police raid. Mobile phones and more than £25,000 in cash have also been taken after officers stopped a car in Ashford.
Officers seized his car as part of the investigation, before searching a property in Luddenham Close. Around 5,000 packets of cigarettes have been seized, and a police spokesman said that inquiries into their origin are ongoing.
Source: Kent Online, 26 October 2020
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Schools in 101 districts and 51 state-operated technology centres across Kentucky are displaying a total of nearly 12,000 metal signs and window or door stickers announcing that their campuses are tobacco-free. The Tobacco-Free for Students’ partnership provided the free signs, as well as more than 20,000 policy change announcement cards, as an incentive for districts to adopt tobacco-free policies, which are shown to reduce youth tobacco use.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed a tobacco-free schools bill introduced by Rep. Kim Moser in 2019. Before the new law came into effect on July 1 2019, 42% of Kentucky’s 172 school districts had voluntarily adopted tobacco-free campus policies. The new law included an opt-out provision, but 167 districts – 97% – of Kentucky school districts are now tobacco-free. That means an additional 95 school districts have adopted tobacco-free campus policies over the past year.
Dr Dale Toney, Kentucky Medical Association, said: “We know that tobacco-free laws work by reducing not only the number of users but by reducing the effects of secondhand smoke as well. These new signs will help improve compliance with the new policy and prevent thousands of Kentucky youth from becoming addicted to tobacco products. We’re excited that our communities will become healthier as a result of this initiative.”
Source: WTVQ, 26 October 2020
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