![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
British Cardiovascular Society supports new report calling on Government to make tobacco companies foot the bill for reducing smoking rates 10 June 2015
The British Cardiovascular Society joins more than 120 local and national organisations to back calls on the Government to impose an annual levy on tobacco companies. The money raised would pay for evidence-based tobacco control and stop smoking services which could save tens of thousands of lives over the next decade and play a key role in helping to reduce costs to the NHS from preventable ill health [1]. The new report, Smoking Still Kills [2], was published by ASH today and calls for a new comprehensive strategy on tobacco paid for by placing a levy on the tobacco industry. Every year smoking costs the NHS at least £2 billion and a further £10.8 billion in wider costs to society including social care costs of over £1 billion [3]. New ASH research also reveals that in England over 1.7 million households who live below the poverty line include an adult that smokes. If they quit over half a million households in England would be lifted out of poverty [4]. Supporting the report, Smoking Still Kills published by ASH today Dr Iain Simpson, President of the British Cardiovascular Society said: “Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest killers in the
UK and smoking remains a major cause. It is vital the recommendations of the
Smoking Still Kills report are implemented if we are to secure a healthy future
for our nation. In particular, we need to support - A
levy on tobacco companies to pay for reducing smoking rates - A
new Government strategy to reduce smoking to replace the Tobacco Control Plan
for England which runs to the end of 2015 - Highlighting the benefits of reducing smoking rates to: prevent premature mortality; reduce burden on NHS; reduce health inequalities and the burden on poor families” In the March budget earlier this year the Chancellor committed the Government to consult further on imposing a levy on tobacco companies [5]. Smoking Still Kills calls for:
2. A new comprehensive five-year Government
tobacco strategy for England: Comprehensive approach is vital - 70,000
lives have been saved due to falling smoking rates since the 1998, the first comprehensive
government strategy on tobacco, Smoking
Kills 3. A new approach to funding, annual levy on
tobacco companies to fund tobacco control: Tobacco companies make over £1bn
in profit in the UK and the harms from smoking to society are significant. They
should pay to address the harms they cause. 4. A comprehensive package of measures: taken together the
recommendations in this report are designed to set us on the path to a
smokefree future by 2035. Number of hits: 1859 Add Comments |
||
![]() |
![]() |