Council backs recommendations for tougher smoking measures

The council is supporting the APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health's recommendations), which include measures to help people quit and prevent young people from taking up smoking.

Smoking is already on the decline in Sunderland, with the latest figures showing the number of people who smoke reduced from 20.2% in 2018 to 16% in 2019. However, the city is still above the national average for the number of adult smokers and smoking remains the single biggest preventable cause of premature death in the UK today.

Supporting the APPG's recommendations is in line with the City Council's ambition for a smoke free city by 2030.

Councillor Kelly Chequer, Portfolio Holder for Healthy City at Sunderland City Council, said: "This council is proud to be endorsing these recommendations, which would significantly improve quality of life for many residents and help towards reducing health inequalities in the city.

"The APPG report found that smoking is a factor in driving over a million people into poverty, and that quitting is linked to improvements in mental wellbeing as well as physical health. Endorsing the recommendations ties in with our Healthy City Plan, which aims to have everyone in Sunderland living healthy and happy lives, leaving no one behind."

If you're a smoker and you want help to quit, theirs is lots of support available either through your GP or pharmacy or Sunderland's dedicated Specialist Stop Smoking Service. For support and advice visit  www.stopsmokingsunderland.nhs.uk and www.nhs.uk/smokefree

The full report can be found here: APPGTCP2021.pdf (ash.org.uk)