LGA responds to ASH report on number of children who start smoking every day

“These stark figures illustrate even more urgently the need for government to tell councils how much public health funding they will get this year, money which pays for councils’ tobacco control services.

“Councils can help the Government to achieve its ambition of eliminating smoking in England by 2030, but need adequate long-term funding and certainty for their public health services to help do so.

“Smoking rates overall continue to fall, which is good news, but as this report highlights we need to keep reaching out to those most in need of support, including preventing children from taking up the habit and developing further health problems later in life.

“People’s lives are improved for the better by councils, with every pound invested by government in council-run services such as public health helping to relieve pressure on other services like the NHS, social care and welfare.”