aThe addiction to smoke traps then slowly disables and kills thousands of our fellow citizens, especially the most vulnerable. The vast majority of smokers wish they had never started, but their choice was taken away at a young age by marketing that deliberately promoted nicotine addiction.
As a result, around 80,000 people die in Britain every year, and many more are injured. The burden of smoking-related diseases weighs heavily on the shoulders of people living in disadvantaged areas about a third of smokers in England lives in the two most deprived deciles. Smoking is one of the leading modifiable causes of the substantial health inequities we see across the country.
As the Tobacco and vaping bill, which is being read for the second time in Parliament today, is passed, it will have a major effect on preventing diseases. No child or young person who turns 15 this year will ever be legally sold a cigarette or other form of tobacco, which will eventually lead to a smoke-free generation. Quitting smoking is supported by the vast majority of doctors, nurses and charities, who see the effects of the habit on vulnerable people. It is also supported by a significant majority of the public according to opinion pollsand by the governments of all four British countries. Additionally, the bill will significantly reduce the ability of vape companies to market to children, a completely unacceptable practice.
Some of the effects of a smoke-free generation will take decades to fully take effect, but many will occur quickly. Around 70% of lung cancer cases, the biggest cause of cancer deaths in Britain, are caused by tobacco, along with premature smoking-related strokes, heart disease and dementia. These serious diseases generally do not manifest themselves until late middle age, so the effects of a smoke-free generation will not be felt for another thirty years – but will be significant. Some benefits will be immediate, such as reducing asthma attacks in children exposed to secondhand smoke.
Some of the first effects of a smoke-free generation will occur when smoking during pregnancy. All mothers want the best for their newborn, but addiction to nicotine means many find it very difficult to quit. Smoking during pregnancy is a heavy burden pregnancies in the youngest mothersand to the most disadvantaged communities. Smoking leads to problems, including significantly higher rates of stillbirth and premature babies. Disparities in poor birth outcomes between the most prosperous and the most deprived areas are very depressing – smoking is one of the causes of this that we can and must prevent.
The tobacco industry, which is very wealthy, is the sole winner of the deaths and diseases caused by its products. The talking points, usually raised by paid lobbyists, need to be addressed head-on. It tries to link its products to ‘choice’, despite the fact that sales are based on addiction (the removal of choice). The company always claims that illegal cigarette sales will increase if new control measures are introduced, despite evidence showing this they’re actually going down (due to reduced demand). The company places great importance on age limits for its products, but public health measures have always been based on different age limits, including screening and vaccination. It tries to portray new tobacco products as ‘safe’, as it did with ‘low tar cigarettes’ and cigarette filters – but no tobacco product is safe.
If the bill passes, the smoke-free generation would represent a major step forward in public health, with a substantial positive impact on preventing disease, disability and death well into the future. This generation of children should not have to suffer the harm caused by tobacco as adults do on wards and in GP practices across the country. MPs today have a great opportunity to reduce health inequalities for children, now and in the future.