MPs call on Government to reinstate No Smoking Day funding in the forthcoming Tobacco Control Plan

• Concerns as funding for anti-smoking campaigns falls by 95% in real terms in 12 years.
• Theme for this year’s No Smoking Day is dementia – fewer than one in five smokers are aware that smoking increases the risk of developing dementia.

MPs, charities and health organisations are coming together this No Smoking Day (Wednesday March 8) to call for action on tobacco harm.

It comes alongside a warning to smokers that their chances of developing dementia are greater because they smoke.

Findings from a YouGov survey of smokers showed that fewer than one in five understand this risk [1], raising questions about the investment in Government health campaigns in recent years.

On Thursday, March 9, MPs will debate the importance of campaigns such as national No Smoking Day and call on the Government to explain why it has cut funding for tobacco control, with the worst cuts hitting public health campaigns.

Government funding for No Smoking Day has been cut completely, and total funding for anti-smoking campaigns has been cut by over 95% in real terms in the past 12 years, from £23.3 million in 2008/9 to around £1.32 million in 2020/21 (the last full year data has been made available).

This is despite a commitment from the Government in 2019 to make England ‘smokefree’ by 2030.

The Tobacco Control plan to deliver this vision was first promised in 2020, and in 2022 the Khan Independent Review commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health delivered a comprehensive set of recommendations for how it could be achieved. However, there’s been no sign of any government response to the review, nor of the Tobacco Control Plan.

In addition to these massive cuts in funding for health campaigns, government funding for tobacco control (including mass media campaigns and local stop smoking services to help people quit) has been cut by 47% since 2013 when responsibility for public health was handed over from the NHS to local authorities.

Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health, Bob Blackman MP, said:
“The APPG on Smoking and Health is calling on the Government to publish an ambitious new Tobacco Control Plan to deliver a smokefree 2030, with a commitment to reverse the reductions in funding for tobacco control and reinstate funding for No Smoking Day. Additional funding is vital so that the health campaigns, and all the other measures vital to achieve the Government’s smokefree 2030 vision can be delivered.”

“It is deeply concerning to see that smokers still do not understand the full risks of smoking given that more than one in two lifetime smokers will die from their addiction. I hope to hear from the Public Health Minister exactly what the Government will do to ensure smokers understand all the risks they are taking, including the increased risk of dementia, and are given the help they need to stop.”

According to Alzheimer's Research UK, dementia is the most feared health condition for people over the age of 55 – more so than any other life-threatening disease including cancer and diabetes. [2]

Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK Hilary Evans, said:
“Too few people understand that they can take steps to help reduce their risk of developing dementia in later life. This has to change, which is why improving people’s understanding of the things that they can do to maximise their brain health is a real priority for Alzheimer’s Research UK and should be for this Government too.

“We know up to 5% of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by tackling smoking. We urge Government to implement the recommendations of the Khan review and commit to supporting future public health campaigns in line with the growing body of evidence linking smoking and dementia risk.”

Action on Smoking and Health Deputy Chief Executive, Hazel Cheeseman, said:
“Today is an important day for smokers to make the first step on their journey to being an ex-smoker. But a one-off awareness day run by charities is not going to make this country smokefree by 2030. There are still six million smokers in this country. These are people at risk of premature death and disease if the Government does not act. It is past time that the Government publish a properly funded Tobacco Control Plan.”

Visit www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ to find out where you can get free access to the latest quitting aids, apps, information, one-to-one advice, and local support.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor
Action on Smoking and Health is a health charity working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco use. For more information see: www.ash.org.uk/about-ash. ASH receives funding for its programme of work from Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, and provides the secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health.

For interviews and more information contact press@ash.org.uk or Sarah Jeffery sarahj@gardiner-richardson.com Mob: 07790 339059.

References
[1] ASH Smokefree GB Adult Survey. Total sample size was 13,088 respondents. The online survey was undertaken between 16th February – 21st March 2022. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults.

[2] Alzheimer’s Research UK. Public attitudes towards dementia. 2021.