England is 9 years behind target to go ‘smoke-free’

THE official target for England to be smoke-free by 2030 is set to be missed by almost a decade, a damning report warned last night.

Progress has slowed and more must be done to help smokers kick their deadly habit, according to analysis from Cancer Research UK.

A country is said to be ‘smoke-free’ when no more than 5 per cent of the adult population smokes. The charity forecasts the goal is unlikely to be met until 2039 based on current trends, with smoking causing a million cancer cases by 2040.

Data up to 2018 had indicated the Government was seven years offtrack but the latest estimates suggest this has risen to nine years.

While smoking rates are declining they must drop 70 per cent faster in order to reach the goal, the report adds. Last year 13 per cent of adults in England smoked, amounting to 5.4million people. This was down from 13.8 per cent the previous year and around 50 per cent in the 1950s.

In June, the Government commissioned Javed Khan to produce an independent review of tobacco control. The former chief executive of Barnado’s produced a ‘roadmap’ aimed at slashing smoking rates to below 5 per cent.

Cancer Research UK is calling on Health Secretary Steve Barclay to publish a plan that sets out how the Government will meet these aims.

It says this must include more action to prevent young people from smoking, with a consultation on raising the legal purchase age.

It also wants more funding for stop- smoking services, paid from taxation or by the tobacco industry.

Mr Barclay voted in favour banning smoking in cars when children are present and for standardised packaging. These measures are credited with reducing smoking rates.

Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK said: ‘Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of cancer and death in the UK, but the Government has the power to change this.

‘We urge Steve Barclay to continue his legacy of being bold with tobacco control to reduce the number of people getting and dying of smoking related cancers, relieve the pressure on the NHS, and save the country billions of pounds each year.’

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘The Government remains committed to its smoke-free ambition by 2030, and the action we are taking means smoking rates in England are at an all-time low.’

‘Save billions of pounds’