The SNP Government has published its latest smoking strategy, Raising Scotland’s Tobacco Free Generation, which sets out plans for the next five years to guide children and young people to become Scotland’s first tobacco-free generation by 2034.
This updated Tobacco Control Action Plan sets out 44 specific actions to address health inequalities and cut smoking rates in the communities where people find it most difficult to quit. These include legislating to restrict smoking around hospital buildings, banning tobacco in prisons and establishing a new national brand for the stop-smoking service.
Kenneth Gibson MSP said:
“Smoking continues to be the greatest threat to public health in Scotland by some margin and is the cause of around one in five of all deaths. Our children deserve the best possible start in life and protecting them from the undeniable harm caused by tobacco is a central part of this.
“Five years ago, the SNP Government set the ambitious target of creating a tobacco-free generation by 2034 and we have already made good progress. The number of children exposed to second hand smoke has been cut in half, the introduction of plain packaging and a crackdown on cigarette sales to under-18s. This new strategy builds upon this work and takes us ever closer to our goal.”
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of Ash Scotland added:
“I’m delighted that the SNP Government has renewed its commitment to a tobacco-free generation by 2034 – the vision for putting cigarettes completely out of fashion by the time today’s children reach adulthood.”
Please click here to view the strategy published on 20 June.
ENDS
