Five year plan to stub out smoking

A FIVE-year action plan has been drawn up to stamp out smoking in Warrington – where the habit is costing local health services more than £3 million a year.
Borough council chiefs are being urged to approve the strategy for the future of tobacco control in the town.
The strategy has three key requirements
1. To develop a strategic approach to tobacco control
2. Effective partnership working from all stakeholders
3. “De-normalising” smoking.
A report to be considered by the borough council’s executive board tonight indicates that 20.4 per cent of Warrington residents smoke – about 30,700 adults.
This is actually a slight reduction since 2001 when 21.3 per cent of the population smoked.
About 21.8 per cent of men smoke compared to 19 per cent of women. But there is a wide variation within the borough and among age groups. About 40.7 per cent of men aged 18-39 living in the more deprived central area smoke.
In the Poplars and Hulme area there is an overall smoking rate of 37.1 per cent – markedly higher than Hatton, Stretton and Walton, which has the lowest smoking rate at 3.1 per cent.
About half the smokers in Warrington will die prematurely from a smoking related illness – about 331 deaths per year, the report adds.
A survey carried out by Trading Standards has shown that 23 per cent of young people aged 14-17 in Warrington smoke – slightly higher than the North West average of 22 per cent. More than half of young smokers say their parents smoke, suggesting a link.
It also showed that 62 per cent of younger smokers in Warrington use imported cigarettes including illicit sources of tobacco – higher than the regional average of 56 per cent.
“This clearly suggests the need for young people in Warrington to be educated on the risks associated on the risks associated with doing this.”
A survey in schools in Warrington indicated that 12 per cent of pupils smoke more than once a week, with 10 per cent these smoking more than 15 a day.
The council’s strategy will involve a number of actions to reduce harm from tobacco including reducing under age sales, promoting the right of children to be protected from “second hand” smoking, strengthening enforcement of Smokefree legislation, reducing illicit tobacco and maximising the potential of the local stop smoking service to help key target groups to quit smoking.