Halton smoking rates at lowest ever levels
SMOKING rates have plunged to the lowest levels on record across Runcorn and Widnes according to latest local authority figures.
Halton health chiefs were due to hear yesterday, as the Weekly News was going to press, that the number of residents who smoke dropped from 30% in 2001 to 16% in 2016 and that rates among young people had halved in 10 years.
As well as being the borough’s biggest killer, smoking costs Halton’s economy £37.9m a year – more than double the £17.2m generated through tobacco duty, a Halton Council report said.
The startling figures were revealed as the local authority draws up plans to further reduce smoking as rates of tobacco consumption remain higher than the English average.
Use in the borough has been found to be greater among routine and manual workers, residents with mental health conditions, pregnant women, those with long-term health conditions or drug and alcohol addictions, and the report said that cigarettes are the main reason for the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor and was the main cause of preventable death.
Halton Council said support for giving up is ‘highly cost effective’ and two thirds of those who do use the legal drug want to stop.
It is now planning to ‘make smoking history’ for the area by stopping children from starting the habit, helping smokers to quit and ‘protecting families’. ●
Other steps proposed include a crackdown on illicit and counterfeit cigarettes and more smokefree zones to be introduced.
A final draft of the council’s 2017-22 tobacco control plan was due to be considered for councillor’s backing yesterday, October 4.
In her foreword, Eileen O’Meara, the local authority’s head of public health, said: “Our vision is to make smoking history for children in Halton and ensure all Halton residents live Smokefree lives.
“This vision is ambitious but achievable.
“Evidence from the UK and abroad clearly shows that by working together we can reduce smoking rates further.
“Reducing the number of people smoking will lead to Halton residents living longer and healthier lives.
“Helping people to stop smoking is as good use of scarce resources and can save money for individuals and their families, the local authority, NHS and local economy as a whole.”