A recent press release from ASH (Action on Smoking and Health UK) caught my eye.
Along with YouGov, they conducted a survey of over 12,000 adults over 18 in the UK on the topic of tobacco regulation.
You can read a summary of the findings here plus there are further links on the page to download the full data in a spreadsheet.
Also on the spreadsheet you can filter the results by area.
I mainly used the results for England – the results for the whole of the UK are slightly different. I used the England results as they have the accompanying explanations in the spreadsheet – whereas the other regions show just the charts only.
Introduction
I quote…
“New data published today [19th July] shows that the public believe further action is needed to tackle smoking. The data is published as MPs and peers gather to mark four years since the Government committed to make England ‘smokefree’ by 2030. Progress has been stalled and Cancer Research UK estimate it will be missed by 9 years. Smoking is currently still killing one person every five minutes in England.
The ASH Smokefree GB survey carried out by YouGov finds that 49% of adults in England think the Government is not doing enough to address smoking, many more than the 28% who think the Government is doing about right, with only 7% saying they are ‘doing too much’.
Survey Findings
·Three quarters of adults in England and Scotland (75%) support their government’s smokefree ambition, and 69% of adults in Wales, with similar results for those voting in the last general election for all the political parties represented in Westminster.
·More than three quarters (77%) of adults in Great Britain support tobacco manufacturers being required to pay a levy to government for measures to help smokers quit and prevent young people from taking up smoking, with 6% opposed. Three quarters or more of those voting in the last general election for all the political parties represented in Westminster supported the levy.
·There is majority support for all key interventions with low levels of opposition.
Being “Smokefree” is a goal in the UK for 2030, basically this is where smoking rates are 5% or less.
Tobacco Regulations
·64% of respondents support increasing the legal age of purchase for tobacco from 18 to 21.
Half of those who took part agree with the proposal of increasing the legal age to buy tobacco increasing one year every year.
·66% agreed with banning smoking in all cars.
·66% support the idea of printing health warnings on each individual cigarette.
·67% thought adding inserts to tobacco packaging with information about quitting were a good idea.
E-Cigarette Regulations
·75% of participants support banning names of sweets, cartoons and bright colours on vape packaging.
·74% feel that banning advertising and promotion of vapes at point of sale (i.e. at the till or entrances to stores) is a good move
General
·45% support offering financial incentives for pregnant smokers to quit.
·69% feel that the government need to invest in public education campaigns on smoking aimed at adults and children.
·88% believe that anyone giving evidence to government must declare who they are funded by.
·Various bans were discussed with the majority supporting smoking bans outdoors, on beaches, parks and university / college campuses.