Press Releases - Page 3 of 57 - Action on Smoking and Health

Smokers develop social care needs a decade earlier than those who’ve never smoked

26 September 2019 The average age of smokers with a social care need is 62, compared to 72 for never-smokers, according to a research report published today by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).[1] The report, Social care costs: Going up in smoke, also found that the cost of smoking-related social care to local authorities […]

In 2019 around half as many Britons now vape as smoke, and the majority are ex-smokers

24 September 2019 New data published today by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows as vaping increases and smoking declines, there are now around half as many vapers as smokers. In 2019 there are an estimated 3.6 million people vaping in Great Britain [1] compared to 7.2 million smokers in the UK in 2018.[2] […]

ASH welcomes Government commitment to finish the job and end smoking by 2030

22 July 2019 The publication today of the Government’s Prevention Green Paper [1] with a commitment to finish the job and have England smoke-free by 2030 was welcomed by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Ending smoking by delivering a smokefree generation by 2030 (defined as prevalence below 5% across society) is achievable, popular and […]

Regional press releases: support for government action to reduce smoking

2 July 2019 See below for regional press releases on the latest national smoking prevalence data and ASH’s Smokefree GB Survey of public onion on tobacco control. The national press release can be viewed here, and regional releases are below. Yorkshire and the Humber: Smoking rates in Yorkshire and Humber are the lowest ever recorded […]

ASH comment on annual smoking prevalence data 2019

2 July 2019 Deborah Arnott chief executive of health charity ASH said: ASH welcomes the continuing decline in adult smoking rates, although the rate of decline has slowed. Worse still the lower headline rate hides a wide disparity across society, with around one in twenty adults smoking in Richmond upon Thames, while in deprived communities […]

12 years on from England going smokefree, support for the Government to do more to tackle smoking is continuing to grow

1 July 2019 12 years on from England going smokefree, support for the Government to do more to tackle smoking is continuing to grow A YouGov poll of over 10,000 adults in England, commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), found that more than three quarters support activities to limit smoking or think government […]

Over half a million social housing tenants in poverty due to the cost of smoking

27 June 2019 Over half a million social housing tenants are living in poverty due to the cost of smoking 512,000 (or one in seven) social tenants are living in poverty because of the impact of smoking costs on their disposable income. In “The quitting dividend for tenants and landlords” published today, Action on Smoking […]

In Britain young people vape just to give it a try, not because they think it’s “cool”

18 June 2019 New research published today by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows vaping remains uncommon among young people, and young people vape mainly just to give it a try (52%) not because they think it looks cool (1%). The findings come from an annual YouGov survey, commissioned by ASH, which examines youth […]

On World No Tobacco Day more people sick from smoking having been given free fags come forward

31 May 2019 On World No Tobacco Day more people sick from smoking having been given free fags come forward On World No Tobacco Day more people have come forward who have been made seriously ill by their addiction to smoking, caused by the free cigarettes they were given by their employers. This follows publicity […]

EU introduces revolutionary new tracking system for cigarette packs today

20 May 2019 EU introduces revolutionary new tracking system for cigarette packs today From today all cigarette packs manufactured in, or imported into, the EU (including the UK) must be marked with unique codes enabling identification and tracing of any cigarettes which are being sold illegally. [1] There is a 12 month sell-through period during […]

Big Tobacco Faces New Legal Threat from Employees Given Free Cigarettes Now Sick from Smoking

25 April 2019 British American Tobacco (BAT) and the other tobacco companies face a new legal threat today from former employees who were given free cigarettes so encouraging them to smoke, a practice which ASH has discovered was commonplace. In the early 1980s the tobacco industry employed over 30,000 employees in manufacturing alone.[1] Some, including […]

Cuts to local funding for smokers requires national Government action

15 March 2019 Government cuts to public health budgets mean that only half of local authorities offer all smokers the best support to quit – a new report from Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK has found. Smoking rates for adults are still falling but they have plateaued for some groups, notably […]

World Bank cites UK as example of how tobacco taxes can be used to increase government revenues and improve public health

1 February 2019 A major new World Bank report launched today in Thailand [1] puts paid to the tobacco industry argument that when governments raise tobacco taxes it increases the illicit trade in tobacco, damaging government revenues and public health. To quote the report, “Countries as different in levels of economic and institutional development as […]

Comment on NHS England press release: NHS plan will help problem drinkers and smokers

4 January 2019 Please find below the press release from NHS England about the dedicated help for smokers to quit included in the NHS Long Term Plan and quotes about this commitment from Paul Burstow co-chair of the Mental Health & Smoking Partnership and Dr Clea Harmer, co-chair of the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group. […]

Baby charity lead appointed as Co-Chair of smoking in pregnancy coalition

30 November 2018 Baby charity lead appointed as Co-Chair of smoking in pregnancy coalition The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group is pleased to welcome Dr Clea Harmer [1], Chief Executive of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, to the role of Co-Chair. She is taking over from Francine Bates [2] who, along with Professor […]