Anti-tobacco funding

The Welsh government has said that it is to spend £417,000 in trying to reduce the incidence of tobacco smoking by three percentage points to 16 percent by 2020, according to a bbc.com story.

The money will be channelled through Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Cymru [Wales].

The chief executive of ASH Cymru, Suzanne Cass, said the funding would help it support the remaining 19 percent still addicted to tobacco ‘to choose’ to become smoke-free and lead “healthier, happier lives”.

But Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said any further anti-smoking measures would be “fiercely resisted” as adults were entitled to smoke without “unreasonable restrictions on their habit”.

“Instead of punishing smokers the Welsh government should engage with consumers,” he was quoted as saying.

“A carrot is far better than a stick and the best way to reduce smoking rates is to embrace choice and encourage smokers to switch to alternative nicotine products such as e-cigarettes.”

The new campaign follows what the authorities see as the success of the smoking ban that was introduced a decade ago and that is seen as having been responsible for reducing smoking rates from 24 percent to 19 percent.