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The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership is encouraging smokers from across the city region to make a quit attempt during Mental Health Awareness week (10 – 16 May).
Stress is often mentioned as a reason to smoke – but evidence shows stopping can be as effective as anti-depressants in reducing depression, anxiety and stress. And according to a new study, it can take just six weeks for quitting smoking to improve mental wellbeing by reducing anxiety, depression and stress – compared to people who continued to smoke.
New Public Health England (PHE) data also highlights that smoking is not helping people’s mental health, as it shows smokers have poorer mental wellbeing than non-smokers. The data found smokers scored worse than the general population on every mental wellbeing indicator in 2019 and 2020.
Andrea Crossfield, ‘Making Smoking History’ lead at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership said: “... Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re encouraging people to give quitting a go to improve their mood and mental health. It’s the best thing you can do for your health and wellbeing. As we start to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and with lockdown restrictions easing, it’s the ideal time to put your health first and quit.
“The past year has been challenging for everyone, and many people have struggled with stress, anxiety and depression. All too often, we hear the myth that smoking reduces stress when it actually increases tension and anxiety. Quitting smoking can make a big difference to how you feel and we now know that in just a matter of weeks, you can experience better mental health. It might take you a few attempts to quit, but don’t give up. […]”
Source: About Manchester, 12 May 2021
See also: Cochrane review - Smoking cessation for improving mental health
PHE - Smoking prevalence in adults: current smokers aged over 18 years by wellbeing group and region
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Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera warned on Wednesday, 12th May 2021, that the country’s leading foreign exchange earner – tobacco – was in terminal decline and urged a switch to cannabis and other high-growth crops instead.
Chakwera made the comments during a state of the nation address. He said tobacco was expected to earn less than $200 million in 2021, a figure roughly like the past two years but well below the previous annual earning of up to $350 million.
Chakwera said that aside from tobacco, the agricultural sector was booming and would enable economic growth to recover 3.8% this year based on the latest forecasts. Decades of public health education have gradually convinced people worldwide of the dangers of tobacco, leading to a sustained drop in sales.
Malawi’s parliament passed a bill in February 2020, making it legal to cultivate and process cannabis for medicines and hemp fibre used in the industry. It stopped short of decriminalising recreational use.
Source: Reuters, 12 May 2021
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A new Government health plan has outlined measures to ban smoking in outdoor places. The plan, which aims to tackle health inequalities, said it wants more “tobacco-free” spaces in community settings next year.
The new plan involves a series of objectives around lifestyle and wellbeing, including obesity, mental health, and healthy homes across different Government departments.
The Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 was published by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State Frank Feighan on Monday the 11th of May 2021. It will involve a comprehensive cross-government approach, with 14 Government Departments responsible for implementing actions for the next five years.
Source: Independent.ie, 11 May 2021
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Queensland schools have been forced to lock up toilets to crack down on students vaping in the bathroom during classes.
Aquinas College on the Gold Coast has closed its toilets, and students will now undergo a check-in procedure to get their teacher’s permission to use the facilities during a lesson.
On Wednesday (12 May 2021), principal Peter Hurley sent letters to parents advising of a “procedural change” in response to “behavioural and students welfare concerns.” The crackdown comes as there has been an increase in e-cigarette use among students in Queensland schools.
Source: Daily Mail, 13 May 2021
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