East Riding Residents Back Tobacco Ban Plan

Thursday, 14 December 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

A survey suggests that 84 percent of East Riding residents support plans for new law around tobacco

East Riding residents were invited to share their views on the Government’s Stopping the Start plans, aimed at creating a smoke-free generation.

84 percent of people in East Riding who responded to the survey said they support the ambitious plans.

The Government’s Stopping the Start plans will make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on, or after, 1 January 2009, so that anyone aged 14 or under now will never be legally able to take up smoking. The plans also include investment to support smokers to quit, measures to address youth vaping, along with work to strengthen enforcement.

Smoking reduces quality of life, increases risks of still births, asthma, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia, and can reduce length of life by years or decades. It is the single most entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in the UK, responsible for 64,000 deaths a year.

Councillor David Tucker, East Riding Council's cabinet member for adults, health and care said:

“We are in full support of the bold government plans to help make our future generations tobacco free. It’s clear that the majority of our residents support the plans too. The change in legislation would make a massive impact on the health of the next generation.

“Smoking is so addictive it is very hard for people to quit, and we know that most smokers wished they’d never taken up smoking. The plans would mean children will never be in this position.”

Aonpreeya Petchatchua, East Riding Member of Youth Parliament said:

“I think it’s great that there are plans to tackle issues of smoking and vaping. Vaping is very prevalent amongst young people, and I see children as young as those in year 7 smoking and vaping, and the long-term effects of vaping are still being researched. Having further restrictions is definitely the right direction to take, to ensure the safety of the future generation’s physical health.”

The government plans include tackling youth vaping – restricting flavours, packaging, and marketing to reduce attractiveness to young people. Plans also include funding for trading standards to be able to enforce age of sale legislation of tobacco products and vapes.

The government has consulted on its plans, and if passed, the new law would come into force in January 2027.

You can read the government’s Stopping the Start plans at www.gov.uk/government/publications/stopping-the-start-our-new-plan-to-create-a-smokefree-generation

People in the East Riding can get free support to stop smoking from the council commissioned stop smoking programme, run by Xyla Health and Wellbeing. Find out more at: eryc.link/quit-smoking or call Healthier Futures on 0330 236 9102