The purpose of this report is to update the Health and Wellbeing Board on the recent Government Smoke Free Generation plan and the actions taken to work towards achieving a Smoke Free Generation (SFG) in Herefordshire.

The Public Health Lead - Substance Misuse / Tobacco reported on the Smoke Free Generation Plan announcements and related actions in Herefordshire, the principal points included:

i.             An item on Tobacco Control had been considered by the board in 2022 following the publication of ‘Kahn Review: Making Smoking Obsolete’, minute 58 of 26 September 2022 refers.

ii.            The government had announced ‘Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation’ in October 2023, with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced in the House of Commons in March 2024.

iii.          Related developments in Herefordshire were outlined, including the ‘swap to stop’ scheme, additional staffing capacity in the healthy lifestyles service, the roll-out of a ‘train the trainer’ package to widen the swap to stop offer, an initiative to raise awareness of the risks of vaping to young people through the Healthy Schools programme, and enforcement activities through the Trading Standards Team.

The key points arising from the debate included:

1.           The Leader of the Council questioned whether the focus should be on tackling nicotine addiction given the harmful effects associated with smoking, vaping and other forms of ingestion.  The Public Health Lead - Substance Misuse / Tobacco explained that the swap to stop scheme provided vape kit vouchers to support more adult smokers to make a quit attempt and this was intended as a short-term intervention, with nicotine levels reduced incrementally.

2.           The Consultant in Public Health drew attention to the fact that smoking prevalence in adults working in routine and manual occupations (28.6%) remained much higher than the general population (12.2%).

3.           Sue Harris, noting paragraph 8 of the report which identified that adults with severe mental illness (40%) and long-term mental health conditions (28.2%) were more likely to smoke than the general population, outlined tobacco cessation initiatives at the Stonebow Unit in Hereford and the offer of annual health checks through GPs.

4.           The Talk Community Health and Wellbeing Manager emphasised that the swap to stop scheme followed the government’s advice and guidelines.

5.           Dr Andy Watts expressed support for actions towards achieving a smoke free generation.

6.           Anna Davidson noted the potential benefits of smoking cessation from a fire prevention perspective. 

The Cabinet Member Children and Young People commented on the need to promote home fire safety checks throughout the county.

Resolved:  That

a)      the board welcomes and supports the Smoke Free Generation plan announcements;

b)      the board welcomes the report and supports a renewed emphasis on tobacco control work to reduce smoking prevalence across Herefordshire;

c)      member organisations are asked to promote and engage in activity to work towards the Smoke Free Generation in Herefordshire; and

d)      board members are asked to support and engage with a new Tobacco Control Alliance and the resulting Tobacco Control Plan, with reports provided annually to the board.