Open Letter to the Prime Minister/Secretary of State for Health

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER/SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH

The need for a new Tobacco Control Plan: an issue of justice

The Prime Minister’s commitment to ‘fighting against the burning injustice that if you’re born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others’[1] iswelcome and achievable. As her Government has acknowledged [2], half this difference in life expectancy is due to the higher rates of smoking amongst the least affluent, so major improvements can be achieved by driving down smoking rates amongst the most disadvantaged in society. [3]

The evidence, both at home and abroad, is that doing this requires a comprehensive and sustained government strategy,[4] [5] Many measures, such as the advertising ban, taxation and standardised packaging, are self-sustaining. Howeverto succeed in reducing inequality,the Government also needs to ensure adequate funding for the recurring costs of measures that are known to be effective - mass media campaigns, smoking cessation services and tackling tobacco smuggling.Adequate funding for tobacco control is also core to the “radical upgrade in prevention and public health”,which the NHS Five Year Forward View recognisedas essential to ensure the “future health of millions of children, the sustainability of the NHS, and the economic prosperity of Britain”.[6]

Unfortunately, over a year has now passed since the Government’s previous Tobacco Control Plan expired. Despite a statement from the Public Health Minister to Parliament about the importance of a new strategy with new ambitions [7] there is as yet no publication date for its successor.[8]From past experience it is clear that commitment from Health Ministers is not sufficient; if the Prime Minister is really committed to social justice she needs to put her weight behind publication of a new Tobacco Control Plan without further delay.

Dr Nicholas S Hopkinson

Reader in Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College London

Professor Jane Dacre,

President, Royal College of Physicians

Professor Lesley Regan

President of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard

Chair, Royal College of General Practitioners.

Professor Sir Simon Wessely

President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

Professor NeenaModi,

President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Professor John Middleton

President UK Faculty of Public Health

Dr Andrew Furber

President Association of Directors of Public Health

Professor Parveen Kumar

Chair British Medical Association Board of Science

Dr Penny Woods

Chief Executive, British Lung Foundation

Professor John Moxham

Chair, Action on Smoking and Health

Shirley Cramer CBE

Chief Executive, Royal Society of Public Health

Professor Sir Richard Thompson