A new survey [1] by public health charity Action on Smoking and
Health (ASH) has found that within a month of lockdown, most
councils had services in place to help smokers quit, and around a
quarter reported an increase in smokers seeking help to quit.
The results come as PHE issues guidance to smokers in light
of the COVID-19 pandemic recommending that smokers quit
[2].
The PHE guidance states that “on the available
evidence, we advise:
-
if you smoke, you generally have an increased risk of
contracting respiratory infection and of more severe symptoms
once infected. COVID-19 symptoms may, therefore, be more severe
if you smoke
-
stopping smoking will bring immediate benefits to
your health, including if you have an existing smoking-related
disease. This is particularly important for both you and for
our NHS at a time of intense pressure on the health
service.”
Today the British Lung Foundation has also issued new data,
showing that half of smokers with a lung condition in England
want to Quit for Covid [3].
Further information for smokers about quitting is available
from www.TodayistheDay.co.uk [4]
Lockdown posed a real challenge for these normally
face-to-face services as they moved online and over the phone.
But local authorities have risen to the challenge, with 96%
reporting that smokers still have access to support from a
trained advisor and 88% that smokers can still access medications
or e-cigarettes via the services. In addition, 24% report that
they have seen an increase in smokers seeking support.
The results are from a national snapshot survey undertaken
by ASH in late April and responses were received from 74% of
local authorities with public health responsibilities.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire Council and Chair
of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board said:
“These have been extraordinary times and local
authorities have shown both their resilience and ingenuity.
Smoking is a leading cause of poor respiratory health and we are
in the midst of a respiratory pandemic. I am enormously proud of
the teams around the country who have radically altered their
services and got support to the smokers who so urgently need
it.”
Providing these services to smokers is a high priority for
public health teams as they play an important role in tackling
inequalities; smoking is highly concentrated in the most
disadvantaged populations.
Stop smoking services have been a key plank in the
Government’s strategy to drive down smoking for the last two
decades, but in recent years national cuts to the public health
budgets of local councils have placed real pressure on the
services [5].
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of ASH said:
“Our quit services have been the envy of the world and
they have continued to be in recent years despite chronic
underfunding of public health by national government. They are
here today to support the smokers who need them, but if their
future is to be secured, then sustainable funding must be found.
Big Tobacco is a polluter of the public health, which has for
over a hundred years fuelled the smoking epidemic which still
kills nearly 100,000 people a year in the UK. It’s time the UK
government forced Big Tobacco to pay for our quit services and
all the other measures needed to finally bring this epidemic to
an end.[6]”
ENDS
Notes to the editor:
Media Contact
Hazel Cheeseman, Director of Policy, Action on Smoking and
Health
e-mail: hazel.cheeseman@ash.org.uk
M: 077 5435 8593
About Action on Smoking and Health
(ASH)
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a health charity
working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco use. ASH receives
funding for its programme of work from Cancer Research UK and the
British Heart Foundation.
[1] The survey was issued to the 152 local councils with
public health responsibilities and was responded to by 74%. The
full report can be found here.
[2] Guidance from PHE to smokers: here.
[3] For full details of the BLF release contact press team
on 020 7786 4949 or email press@blf.org.uk.
[4] ASH alongside other regional and local partners have
been co-ordinating #QuitForCovid campaign to engage and support
smokers in quitting. See launch PR here: https://smokefreeaction.org.uk/around-300000-smokers-quitforcovid/
[5] Findings from ASH and Cancer Research UK survey on the
impact of national government cuts to public health on local
service delivery: https://ash.org.uk/media-and-news/press-releases-media-and-news/cuts-to-local-funding-for-smokers-requires-national-government-action/
