New plans to stub out smoking

Published on Wednesday, 09 March 2011 16:50

Posted by Scott Buckler

New ambitions to tackle the substantial public health harms from tobacco were announced today on No Smoking Day by Health Secretary Andrew LansleyThe Government has published Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England which sets out how tobacco control will be delivered over the next five years.

Local communities will take a leading role in reducing smoking rates. The plan confirms action to end eye catching tobacco displays in shops which encourage young people to start smoking.

Andrew Lansley said:

“Smoking is undeniably one of the biggest and most stubborn challenges in public health. Over eight million people in England still smoke and it causes more than 80,000 deaths each year.

“Smoking affects the health of smokers and their families. My ambition is to reduce smoking rates faster over the next five years than has been achieved in the past five years.

“We want to do everything we can to help people to choose to stop smoking and encourage young people not to start smoking in the first place. We will help local communities to take a comprehensive approach to reducing smoking so we can change social attitudes to smoking.”

Source: DH