Agenda item

To consider the attached briefing note which provides an update on the national plan ‘Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation’, and the supporting government consultation ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’.

The Sub-committee considered the report which provided a briefing on the national plan ‘Stopping the start:  our new plan to create a smokefree generation’ and the supporting consultation ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’.

The Sub-committee noted the four key strands of the strategy:

·       Changes to the age of sale which will make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after January 2009, effectively raising the age of sale each year;

·       Support for smokers to quit by increasing funding for stop smoking services and increased spending on anti-smoking campaigns;

·       Support for enforcement with additional funding for agencies such as Trading Standards, border Force and HRMC and new powers for local authorities to issue on the spot fines to enforce the age of sale legislation;

·       Protecting children from vaping by taking action to tackle the rising rates in youth vaping.  This could include restricting vape flavours, regulating vape packaging and product presentation, regulating point of sale displays, exploring further restrictions for non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine consumer products such as nicotine pouches, and action on affordability of vapes.

It was noted that the current consultation is open until 6 December and the report recommends that the Sub-committee submit a response to the consultation using the endorsed responses from Fresh North East that are attached to the report.

Members asked whether there was anything else the Council could be doing in the meantime to reduce youth vaping, such as public health interventions being built into the Local Plan.

Officers advised that the Council had been working with schools and with Fresh North-East and providing guidance to schools on vaping control.  Public health officers had spent time with PHSE teachers to discuss how to promote messages about he harms of vaping and promoting a consistent approach. 

More widely, the Council is also addressing concerns around recycling and the environmental impact of disposable vapes and also using the enforcement role of Trading Standards in relation to retail sales and criminal gangs.  The Local Plan would not really be a route for enforcement action.  However, any increased funds for Trading Standards would be welcome. 

There was some discussion about the sale of vapes and how this had proliferated across a wide range of retailers.  It was noted that some of the proposals in the consultation aimed to address this.

It was noted that the proposed changes set out in the plan were aimed at protecting young people, but there is likely to be significant resistance from the well-resourced tobacco industry.  The Director of Public Health highlighted that this is a substance that is detrimental to health and is addictive and protections for young people need to be in place.  It was noted that a similar approach to raising the age of sale had recently been dropped by the New Zealand Government and it was acknowledged that there are likely to be difficulties in passing the legislation into law. 

It was agreed:

·       that a response to the consultation should be submitted on behalf of the Caring Sub-committee using the suggested responses set out in the report.

·       That Councillors may also wish to submit their own response to the consultation as an individual.