Agenda item

To receive an overview of The Khan Review - Making Smoking Obsolete published on 9 June 2022 and to consider the implications for the work being undertaken in borough led by the North Tyneside Smokefree Alliance.

In 2019 the Government set an objective for England to be Smokefree by 2030 meaning only 5% of the population would smoke by then. The Khan Review published in June 2022, found that England would miss that target by at least 7 years with the poorest areas not meeting it until 2044. To have any change of hitting the smokefree target, nationally there needed to be an acceleration in the rate of decline. The review looked at best international evidence and current national policies and concluded that 15 national recommendations were required.

The Khan Review made 15 recommendations which present a wide-ranging approach to delivering smokefree 2030. They were direct asks of Government with regarding to funding, legislation and policy:

1.    Urgently invest £125 million per year in interventions to reach smokefree 2030

2.    Raise the age of sale of tobacco from 18, by one year, every year

3.    Substantially raise the cost of tobacco duties (more than 30%) across all tobacco products, immediately

4.    Introduce a tobacco licence for retailers to limit where tobacco is available

5.    Enhance local illicit tobacco enforcement by investing additional funding of £15 million per year to local trading standards

6.    Reduce the appeal of smoking

7.    Increase smokefree places to de-normalise smoking and protect young people from second-hand smoke

8.    Offer vaping as a substitute for smoking, alongside accurate information on the benefits of switching, including to healthcare professionals

9.    Invest an additional £70 million per year into stop smoking services, ringfenced for this purpose

10. Invest £15 million per year in a well-designed national mass media campaign, supported by targeted regional media.

11. The NHS needs to prioritise prevention, with further action to stop people smoking, providing support and treatment across all its services, including primary care

12. Invest £15 million per year to support pregnant women to quit smoking in all parts of the country

13. Tackle the issue of smoking and mental health

14. Invest £8 million to ensure regional and local prioritisation of stop smoking interventions through ICS leadership

15. Invest £2 million per year in new research and data

The North Tyneside Smokefree Alliance would consider in detail the Khan Review and develop a set of local actions to be delivered. The Khan Review was very clear that if significant change did not occur, harm would continue to disproportionally spread across communities. Locally the Smokefree Alliance would challenge all stakeholders to do more and go further to achieve the Smokefree ambition.

The Board discussed the need for plain English information and advice about the benefits and risks associated with vaping to tackle commonly held misconceptions. It was suggested that local authorities work together to explore the possibility of introducing Bye-laws to prohibit smoking in more public places. Reference was also made to the benefits of sharing data between agencies to identify areas of high harm, including the effects of alcohol and tobacco, and where a holistic approach and targeted interventions could be directed.  

Resolved that (1) the recommendations made within the Khan Review be endorsed;

(2) the Chair of the Board write to the Government in support of the review’s findings and urging the Government to implement its recommendations; and (3) the Board supports local efforts to implement evidence-based recommendations where practical in North Tyneside.