The Local Government Association has outlined how councils can help achieve the government’s goals of reducing the number of people smoking.
This comes as the Office for National Statistics has published the latest figures for adult smoking habits in the UK.
According to the data from the ONS, around six million people over the age of 18 in the UK were smoking cigarettes, with the highest number of smokers coming in the 25 to 24 age group (14%). The 18 to 24 age group was the category was the one that saw the largest reduction in smoking prevalence, however, this age group did fall into the 16 to 24-year category that has the highest number of e-cigarette users (15.8%).
In positive news, there has been a continuation of the trend that has seen smoking become less popular.
Promoting the work of councils in helping people to stop smoking, and responding to the figures from ONS, the Local Government Association’s Wellbeing Board Chair, Cllr David Fothergill, said:
“Council public health teams work hard to help reduce smoking rates and it is testament to their efforts that smoking rates continue to fall.
“They can help the Government achieve its ambition of eliminating smoking in England and we look forward to the publication of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
“We are also calling on the Government in the Autumn Budget to increase investment in the public health grant, which has suffered a cut of 27 per cent in real terms since 2015/16."
The work to reduce the number of people smoking not only supports the government’s drive to create a smoke-free generation, by restricting the ages at which people can buy tobacco products year on year, but will also help to relieve pressure on health and care systems. As people become healthier, the systems that are put in place to support those with illnesses will be under less pressure to deliver, freeing up space for those with other long or short-term conditions.
Councils around the country are already working, through their public health teams, to support those who wish to stop smoking, with examples being found in Salford City Council and Bolton Council. These are often delivered in partnership with the NHS and will ensure that communities can become healthier in the long run.
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