Smokefree UK 2030

Smokefree UK 2030 Roadmap Date Set

The number of smokers in the UK has been steadily decreasing in recent years, with many people turning to healthier alternatives such as vaping to help them stub out the cigs for good. Nevertheless, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in this country, with more than six million smokers in England alone.

To combat this, back in 2019 the UK Government announced their plans for a smoke free country by the year 2030. This smokefree campaign hopes to cut the number of smokers in the UK from 15% to 5% by the end of the decade, a noble yet ambitious goal.

To achieve this, the government has collaborated with various organisations to lay out a roadmap to a Smokefree 2030, which includes increasing government funding, supporting individuals on their quit smoking journey and reviewing legislation surrounding the sale of tobacco products. We’re here to take a closer look at the Smokefree 2030 campaign, what it hopes to achieve and how it can help you to quit smoking for good.

What is the Smokefree 2030 campaign?

It’s no secret that smoking kills. In fact, smoking is on track to kill one billion people in the 21st century, but the Government is keen to step in to prevent this from happening. Following the success of the UK indoor smoking ban introduced back in 2007, which led to a dramatic decline in smokers as well as a shift in social norms and public attitude surrounding the habit, the Government has introduced its plans to make smoking obsolete in England by the year 2030.

By achieving this, it is hoped that it will have a positive impact on the health of individuals by reducing cancer and smoking related deaths and in turn relieving the pressure this puts on the NHS and our healthcare systems.

What does the roadmap involve?

Committing to making the UK smoke free by 2030 is no easy feat, but the roadmap laid out by the UK Government and ASH outlines the key goals that must be achieved in order to make this happen. Below are the 4 main actions that must be completed to achieve a smoke free Britain:

1. More funding

It’s estimated that an additional investment of £125 million per year is needed to fund the campaign and the support that smokers need to quit. If the government is unable to raise this amount alone, they may bring in a “polluter pays” principle, which involves introducing large tax increases for Big Tobacco companies to help offset the costs by forcing them to pay the price to end the smoking epidemic.

2. Increase smoking age

Two thirds of smokers started smoking as children, before realising how hard it is to quit, and that’s why the campaign is focusing their efforts on increasing the legal age for smoking. As of 2021, you must be 18 years old to purchase tobacco products in the UK. However, it’s been proposed that the government should consider raising the age of sale from 18 by 1 year every year, until eventually no one can legally buy a tobacco product in this country.

3. Promote vaping

As part of the plan to get as many people as possible to stop smoking, the government is embracing the promotion of vaping as a healthier alternative. An e-cigarette is designed as a smoking cessation aid and vapes are proven to be 95% safer than smoking traditional cigarettes. 

4. Individual support

The government also plans to work with people on an individual level to ensure that they are getting the support they need to stop smoking. As smoking costs the NHS approximately £2.4 billion every single year, they are hoping to focus more on prevention as a long term plan to cut costs and keep people safe. To do this, they plan to integrate more advice and support services to smokers with the help of GPs, hospitals, and pharmacies. 

How will this affect vaping?

The ideas proposed by the Smokefree campaign will not have a negative effect on vaping. The legal vaping age is currently 18 years old, and this is not due to change, whereas the sale of tobacco-containing products may see an increase in age of sale.

As the Smokefree campaign promotes the use of vapes as a healthier smoking cessation aid, we hope to see more people make the transition from smoking to vaping in the future.

Smokefree at myCigara

At myCigara, we exist to make the UK smokefree. We believe that the best way to do that is by offering safe and practical alternatives to smoking.

To achieve this, we make every effort to provide you with information and support to answer any questions you may have. If you’re ready to take the plunge and make the first step on your quit smoking journey, head over to our Tips & Guides page where you can find out more about vaping, how it works, and the best way to get started.

If you need any further guidance or advice, please reach out and contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, you can head down to your local myCigara store where our expert team is ready to help you.