• Public health leaders sign Local Government Declaration
Newham Council has signed the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control. The statement outlines Newham’s active commitment to take comprehensive action to tackle harms associated with smoking and ensure tobacco control is at the forefront of public health work.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death, with nearly one million people in the UK having died from smoking-related causes since 2010. At a local level, smoking prevalence in Newham for adults is 13.9%, which is higher than the London and England average according to data from the Office for National Statistics. By signing the Local Government Declaration, Newham is committed to reducing smoking prevalence and linked health inequalities for the borough, whilst supporting the national objective of becoming SmokeFree by 2030.
Councillor Mumtaz Khan, Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control is a public commitment which we are proud to be a part of.
“We will be using it to work closely with our SmokeFree Alliance to develop a local action plan for tobacco control over the next few months.
By working with our partners, including the NHS, schools and volunteers, we will be able to achieve our wider smoke-free target outlined in the 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham strategy.”
The commitment echoes the local authority’s ambition to work towards a SmokeFree Newham, as part of Priority 10 in the 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham. There are two steps to achieve this priority. Step 41: collaborating with partners through the SmokeFree Alliance to develop a local tobacco control plan and work towards a Tobaccofree Newham. Step 42: providing access to high quality support to quit smoking.
Since January 2021, Quit Well Newham has been providing residents with up to 12 weeks of free advice and support from a trained practitioner to successfully quit smoking. The service offers nicotine replacement therapy and regulated refillable vapes, which comply with guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This is to help smokers begin their quit journey. Support is available in several Newham community languages.
Community pharmacies across Newham also offer up to 12 weeks of stop smoking support for residents. The weekly face-to-face service includes a personalised care plan to quit smoking, access to NHS-approved medication i.e., nicotine patches, gums and lozenges and regular carbon monoxide monitoring.
Newham Council is now referenced as a signatory on the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) website.
Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive, Action on Smoking and Health said:
“Smoking remains the leading cause of health inequalities and preventable death, so we are delighted to hear that the London Borough of Newham has signed the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control, signalling their commitment to ensuring tobacco control is a central part of their public health approach.”
“Local authorities will play a major role in achieving the government’s ambition of reducing adult smoking prevalence to five per cent or less and we look forward to working with Newham to end the harms caused by tobacco.”
The Local Government Declaration outlines the importance of developing plans with partners and local communities to address the cause and impact of using tobacco. Newham’s SmokeFree Alliance consists of a wide range of partners who are working closely with the council to develop a local tobacco control plan.
For more information on the support available to quit smoking in Newham, please visit: www.newham.gov.uk/stopsmoking and www.wellnewham.org.uk.
If you are keen to support Newham’s plans of becoming SmokeFree by 2030 and would like to join the SmokeFree Alliance, contact Sumaiyah.Rahman@newham.gov.uk