Press Releases - Action on Smoking and Health

Local council support for smokers better than pre-pandemic – but chronic funding pressures remain

24th January 2022 Findings from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and Cancer Research UK’s annual national survey of local government stop smoking support [1] show improvements compared to before the pandemic hit. In 2021, 76% of local authorities were providing some form of dedicated specialist service for smokers, compared to 69% in 2019. However, […]

Smoking costs society £17bn – £5bn more than previously estimated

Friday 14th January 2022 Regional and local breakdown available New economic analysis of national data for ASH finds the cost of smoking to society is significantly higher than previous estimates have shown. Commissioned by charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) the new figures [1] published today [Thursday 13th January] show the cost of smoking […]

ASH comment on New Zealand’s plan to ban cigarette sales for future generations

Commenting on new measures being introduced to end smoking in New Zealand,[1] ASH Deputy Chief Executive Hazel Cheeseman said: “In New Zealand they set an ambition to be smokefree and now have a plan to achieve this. Our government, with the same ambition, is yet to make any clear commitments to tackle smoking – despite […]

ASH at 50: Nearly 8 million lives in the UK lost due to tobacco since 1971

A new analysis to mark the 50th anniversary of ASH finds that smoking killed nearly 8 million people in the UK over the last 50 years with an estimated 2 million more expected to die in the next 20 years without radical changes to smoking rates.[1] The modelling was by Professor Sir Richard Peto, world […]

MHRA enhanced guidance on medical licensing for e-cigs welcomed by health leaders, clinicians and tobacco experts

The updated guidance for e-cigarette firms seeking a medicinal licence for their products published today by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) [1] has been welcomed by health leaders, clinicians and tobacco experts. Rt Hon Sir Norman Lamb, former health minister and Chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee said, “As an […]

Budget a small step forward for tobacco but still not enough

Tobacco duties In line with the escalator duty rates on all tobacco products will increase by 2% above (RPI) and on hand rolling tobacco by 6% above (RPI). All changes will take effect at 6.00pm today. [1] The changes add 54p to the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes, £1.11 to a 30g pack […]

Ending smoking in the UK would increase the number of UK jobs by nearly half a million

23rd October 2021 New analysis of national statistics [1] published in advance of the Budget and Spending Review on Wednesday finds major benefits to the UK economy if all expenditure on tobacco ended. In summary: UK smokers spend around £15.6bn a year on legal and illicit tobacco If all spending on tobacco ended and consumers […]

Smoking-related poverty concentrated in the North and Midlands

23rd July 2021 New analysis [1] of national data commissioned by health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) finds that 3 in 5 of all households containing smokers living in poverty live in the North and Midlands while fewer than 1 in 5 are in London and the South East. The link between smoking […]

Delays in regulatory reform leave children exposed to e-cigarette promotion

19th July 2021 Public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) today [Monday 19th June] criticise the Government for failing to address loopholes that allow children to be given e-cigarettes as freebies although the law bans their sale to under 18s. New findings, published today, also find additional opportunities for regulations to protect children. […]

House of Lords vote on smokefree pavement licences as councils hail local successes

14th July 2021 UPDATE: This afternoon [Wednesday 14th July] Lord Faulkner of Worcester successfully won a vote regretting the Government’s failure to require COVID-19 related seating outside cafes, pubs and restaurants to be Smokefree. Lord Faulkner’s motion received strong cross-party support from peers across the House. This afternoon [Wednesday 14th July] Lord Faulkner of Worcester […]

Smoking across England costs local government £1.2 billion in social care costs every year

14th July 2021 New analyses [1] funded by the public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows the impact of smoking on social care need and the associated costs for each region and local authority in England. Around 1.5 million people have everyday social care needs, such as needing help with dressing, walking […]

During the pandemic smoking in pregnancy fell below 10% for the first time since records began BUT Government still not on track to reach target of 6% or less by 2022

6 July 2021 New NHS data published today [1] shows that smoking in pregnancy fell to 9.5% last year, the first time it has dropped below 10% since records began. Smoking in pregnancy declined six times faster between 2019/20 and 2020/21 than the average for the previous four years. However, in order to reach the […]

As NICE consult on new vaping advice, survey shows 90% of smokers don’t know e-cigs are much less harmful than smoking

25 June 2021 ASH welcomes the launch today of a consultation by NICE on revised tobacco guidance, [1] including updated advice for healthcare professionals on what to say to smokers about vaping. Ralph, aged 59, is a good example of what a difference such support can make. A smoker since his early teens, he decided […]

Bill to put health warnings on cigarette sticks being put to Parliament on Monday 14th June

Sunday 13th June 2021 Bill to put health warnings on cigarette sticks being put to Parliament on Monday 14th June Lord Young of Cookham first proposed health warnings on cigarettes when he was a health minister in Margaret Thatcher’s Government, but he was thwarted by the tobacco manufacturers. Four decades later the former MP, now […]

Parliamentarians call on Government to end the tobacco epidemic by 2030

Wednesday 9th June 2021 Parliamentarians call on Government to end the tobacco epidemic by 2030 Today [Wednesday 9th June] the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health [1] warns the Government that it can only build back better and fairer from the pandemic by making smoking obsolete. Now, say the cross-party group of MPs […]