The Government have announced that Javed Khan will be leading an independent review on smoking in hopes of supporting the ambition for England to be Smokefree by 2030. He has asked vapers to share their views and their success stories with him to help inform the review and improve public health.
About the review
The Independent Review on Tobacco Control will be led by Javed Khan, former CEO of children’s charity Barnardo’s, who has a wealth of experience tackling health inequalities. It hopes to determine how to best support smokers in making a quit attempt and drive down smoking rates to inform the upcoming Health Disparities White Paper and the Government’s new Tobacco Control Plan.
There are currently around 6 million smokers in England, and it is estimated that in 2019 64,000 people died from smoking related illness. Smoking causes a disproportionate burden on the most disadvantaged communities, including those living in low income areas and those living with long-term mental health issues. Although smoking rates have continued to decline in England to an all-time low, bold action must be taken to support those who are in groups with high smoking rates in order to reach the goal of a Smokefree future.
Speaking about the Independent Review on Tobacco Control, Javed Khan said:
“I am very pleased to be leading this review into such an important area of public health. My independent findings will help highlight key interventions which can help the Government achieve its ambitions to be smoke-free by 2030 and tackle health disparities.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, adds:
“Javed Khan OBE [has] vast experience in tackling health inequalities, and I look forward to the outcome of [his] review so we can continue to level up across society and make sure everyone – no matter where they live or come from – can live a long, healthy life.”
Have your say
As part of the review, Javed Khan has asked smokers, ex-smokers, vapers, and those trying to make a quit attempt, to share their views, either by using the hashtag #TobaccoIndependentReview or by emailing [email protected], ideally this week.
He has asked;
- How do we stop people, especially children and young people, from starting smoking in the first place?
- Have you quit smoking for good? What worked? What do you think could work better?
- Changing behaviour is key. What changed your mindset on smoking? Have you been persuaded by what you see in the media?
- What is your view on e-cigarettes? We know they are effective at helping people to quit smoking. How can we stop children and non-smokers from using them?
- Have you ever used a Stop Smoking Service to quit smoking? Or spoken to your GP about it? What was your experience?
This is an amazing opportunity to speak up for vaping, share your success story, and have your say on an important public health issue!
Sources
gov.uk - 04/02/2022
questions-statements.parliament.uk - 04/02/2022
