New smoking figures - bitter sweet news

Today’s figures on the number of people smoking – and quitting – are bittersweet.

The latest NHS statistics show that while more people are kicking the habit, the percentage of smokers in England has remained the same. While it is great news that more people are successfully quitting, it sadly looks as though the tobacco industry is still able to recruit legions of new smokers to replace those who quit - or die from smoking related ill health.

We know the tobacco industry is trying harder than ever to find new recruits, which is why those firms are so opposed to new laws banning cigarette vending machines and tobacco displays in shops.

It’s a fact that two thirds of smokers start before they are 18, and we know tens of thousands of teenagers regularly get hold of cigarettes from vending machines because they are an easy source of tobacco where people rarely check for age identification.

We campaigned hard for this new law because banning vending machines would cut off this easy access to cigarettes by young people and getting rid of tobacco displays would close off one of the few remaining ways for tobacco firms to market their products to such an influential audience.

Everyone, even the tobacco firms, know that smoking is bad for you and the scientific case against it is long and well established. It’s a major risk factor for developing heart disease borne out by the depressing figure that 25,000 smokers die every year from smoking related heart disease. A total of 114,000 smokers die more generally as a result of their habit.

Yet tobacco firms are hard at work lobbying the Coalition government in the hope ministers will back down. We think we should be doing everything we can to protect children from smoking. You can help by writing to your MP asking them to make sure this law becomes reality. The health of our young people depends on it.

By Joseph Clift

Policy Officer

Andrew Lansley answers BHF question in online Q&A

Today Health Secretary Andrew Lansley took part in a live online Q&A answering questions on the Government’s proposals to reform health services in Britain via Twitter and the Number10 website.

We took this opportunity to ask him the following question:

"Will the Govt put public health at the heart of plans & implement vital tobacco control legislation to protect children?"

This is because it was reported in the media last week that ministers may not implement new laws to ban cigarette vending machines.

We have campaigned hard to get rid of these machines because we know they are an easy source of tobacco for children.

Nearly 40 per cent of adults who smoke, or are ex-smokers, started before they were 16 and we estimate about 23,000 11-15 year olds get hold of cigarettes from vending machines in England and Wales – and another 851 in Northern Ireland.

My final depressing but poignant statistic is that every year in the UK, 114,000 smokers die as a result of smoking, with over 25,000 smoking-related deaths from heart disease.

It’s obvious why it’s so crucial the Government sees through this legislation.

In his response, Andrew Lansley said:

“We need a more effective public health strategy too many things have been heading in the wrong direction, including obesity, alcohol and drug misuse and sexually transmitted infections. As we interfere less in the NHS day by day I want us to be a Government that focuses more on improving our health and wellbeing depends on working across society.

Smoking is still the biggest preventable cause of early deaths. We have had important legislation to ban smoking in public places, further controls especially on under-age tobacco sales. Although smoking has declined from about more than half the population smoking 40 years ago to between a quarter and a fifth now it is stubborning(sic) persistent now.

I think we have got to look to new approaches for public health that are not just about supply but are also about demand. So we need to change people's relationship with tobacco or drugs or alcohol so that they don't need or become dependent on these.

Where people see that the majority of people don't like to be exposed to tobacco smoke, where those who do smoke understand that it is expensive and harmful, our public health strategy to be published later this year will look at how we can increase the effectiveness of tackling these health challenges much more effectively in the future.”

We hope the new coalition Government, with its commitment to public health, implements the vital ban on cigarette vending machines and tobacco advertising at point of sale – to help stop children taking up this deadly habit.

Thank you to everyone who helped us get a response by retweeting our question. We couldn't have got an answer without your help, and a special thank you goes to @HannahT83 on Twitter whose retweet was answered by Andrew Lansley.

If you want to do more, we are asking supporters to email their MP asking them to make sure this law becomes reality.

To find out more about our cigarette vending machine campaign, visit our campaigns section on the BHF website.

By Maura Gillespie, Head of Policy & Advocacy

Out of Order trailer preview

Here's a sneak preview of a trailer for a new BHF campaign video podcast due out later this month...



Find out more about the campaign here

Will new shock images stop smokers?

This week, graphic pictures will appear on cigarette packets in the UK warning about the dangers of smoking.

The UK is the first European country to introduce such images, which will include pictures of a tumour, heart surgery and a diseased lung.

The BHF doesn’t steer shy of using shock tactics to get our message across. Our recent chest pains awareness campaign includes violent scenes depicting the symptoms of a heart attack.

Maura Gillespie, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the BHF, said: “We believe the graphic picture warnings on cigarette packets will provide a further incentive for smokers to think again before reaching for their cigarette packets.

“There is evidence that they can help more smokers quit and prevent others from starting in the first place. Our ‘fatty cigarette’ campaign clearly demonstrated the value of hard hitting imagery.”

If you want to give up smoking, help and information is available at http://www.bhf.org.uk/smoking

Listen to our giving up smoking podcast

What you think about using graphic images to encourage people to quit smoking? Post a comment on the blog.

How has your year been?

With the ban on smoking in public places in England one year old today, it's estimated that around 400,000 people have given up cigarettes since the new law came into force.

Are you one of them? Had you already given up as a result of the earlier bans in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland? And if so, how did you manage to quit?

Or are you still trying to kick the habit, but want to know how you could be successful?

Why not share you experiences with us - and everyone else - by posting your comments below.

By the way, if you are still trying to quit, you can find more help at bhf.org.uk/smoking