Housing and Community Safety Select Committee

7 June 2012

Review of Tobacco Control

Tobacco Control: An overview

Ruth Hill

Assistant Director of Health Improvement

Background: smoking

• Smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of premature death in Stockton– 18% of deaths in adults over 35 are a result of smoking

(approx. 290 deaths per yr in Stockton)

• Smoking accounts for over half of the difference in risk of premature death between social classes

• Smoking costs Stockton approx. £56 million each year

Smoking: Effects on health

• 28% of premature deaths in Stockton are smoking attributable (Approx. 291 each year)

• Smoking is associated with a range of diseases:– Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)– Respiratory diseases including Chronic Obstructive

Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and asthma– Cancer

• Smoking in pregnancy – increases risk miscarriage, premature births and a range of other health outcomes

Smoking Prevalence in Stockton-on-Tees

• 19.6% of adults smoke (approx. 35,000 people)• Massive inequalities in smoking prevalence across

Stockton wards – strong correlation between smoking & deprivation– 48% smoking prevalence in Stockton town centre

• Young people:– no robust mechanisms for measuring prevalence– Stockton Social Norms Project: identified that approx.

15% of college students in sample smoked, with 38% taking up smoking at 14 years of age

Smoking prevalence continued…

• Pregnancy: 18.4% of pregnant mothers in Stockton were reported as smokers at time of delivery

• Mental health: High prevalence of smoking in those with mental health problems (70% in inpatient units)

• Prison & probation: High prevalence in those in prison and probation services (80% of prisoners)

Local Tobacco Control Approach

• Based on the 6 strands of tobacco control:– Build Stop Smoking Services and strengthen local

action– Reduce exposure to second-hand smoke– Support national education and media campaigns– Reduce tobacco promotion– Tobacco regulation– Reduce the availability and supply of tobacco products.

• FRESH North East – provide regional support & coordination

Some Achievements to date…• Year–on-year reduction in av. smoking prevalence• Stop smoking training – mandatory for all midwives• Tobacco control resources developed and delivered within

secondary schools as part of PSHE• 719 premises inspected (11/12), Majority complied with

smoke free legislation• 11 HMRC referrals relating to illicit tobacco & approx. 8,000

counterfeit cigarettes seized• 17 underage test purchases – 0 sales to under 18s• Year-on-year increases in smoking quitters

Future Development

• Strengthen tobacco control regulation & promotion– Plain standardised packaging– Second hand smoke in cars

• Preventing smoking uptake by young people • Strengthening stop smoking services

– Focus on smoking in pregnancy – Focus on vulnerable groups and reducing health

inequalities

• Public Health transition – transfer of responsibilities

Tobacco Control and Regulation in

Stockton-on-Tees

Dave Kitching

Trading Standards and Licensing Manager

Tobacco Control & Regulation

• Tobacco - a Stockton perspective

• What is tobacco and tobacco control?

• Regulation at point of sale

• Age restrictions and control

• Tobacco promotion

• Illicit tobacco

Tobacco Definition

A ‘tobacco product’ is defined as consisting wholly or partly of tobacco and intended to be smoked, sniffed, sucked or chewed

Tobacco Control Definition

Planning and commissioning

Communication

Normalisingsmoke-free lifestyles

Making it easier to stop

smoking

Tackling illegal and underage

availabilityMonitoring,

evaluation and response

Multi-agency partnership

working

Planning and commissioning

Communication

Normalisingsmoke-free lifestyles

Making it easier to stop

smoking

Tackling illegal and underage

availabilityMonitoring,

evaluation and response

Multi-agency partnership

working

Regulation At Point Of Sale

Regulation At Point Of Sale

Age Restrictions & Controls

It has been illegal to sell to under 16’s since 1908

and under 18’s since 2007

Age Restrictions & Controls

Tobacco Promotion

Illicit Tobacco

Illicit Tobacco

Tobacco fraud costs UK taxpayer over £2 billion per annum

Illicit Tobacco

Plain Packaging

Plain Packaging