When the Department of Health and Social Care announced in 2019 that it was aiming for England to go ‘smoke-free’ by 2030, this was considered an ambitious target. Since then, steps have been taken by local councils in England to help the country go ‘smoke-free’, including some councils banning smoking in outdoor ‘pavement pubs’.
With such an ambitious target, one question remains: will the UK succeed with its ambitious target and, if so, when?
In this article, we will assess the plans and what they mean, and look at alternatives to smoking that can help you to enjoy nicotine without having to inhale any harmful toxins.
What does smoke-free mean?
To achieve their targets and go smoke-free, England and Scotland must reach a point where smoking is no longer considered normal (i.e., less than 5% of the population smokes).
When plans to go smoke-free were announced in 2019, 13.9% of the adult population in England smoked. The plan to reduce the number of smokers by nearly two-thirds is ambitious, but an initiative that the UK Government is committed to.
How will it work?
The go smoke-free campaign aims to discourage people from taking up smoking and support current smokers to quit – this includes working with the NHS to ensure people can access professional advice to stop smoking.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has put forward 12 recommendations for a new Tobacco Control Plan, including increasing the age someone can buy cigarettes from 18 to 21 and ensuring pregnant smokers are offered financial incentives to quit.
Some councils have already started to implement measures to stop people from smoking in public places, with Oxfordshire County Council announcing plans to ban smoking outside of workplaces and restaurants by 2025. But will these and the other proposed measures be sufficient?
Will the measures work?
With the strategy still in its infancy, it is difficult to determine current levels of success; however, an open letter to the Prime Minister from the British Medical Journal has criticised the Government for not taking the “bold action” that was promised when the go smoke-free campaign was launched. This is not to say that the measures will not work – the open letter does say that the strategy can deliver if properly funded.
Smoke-free alternatives to smoking
Regardless of the Government’s plans, going smoke- and tobacco-free is less harmful than sticking with smoking. One of the ways to go smoke-free and enjoy nicotine is by using ZYN nicotine pouches.
ZYN nicotine pouches are a discreet alternative to smoking that can be used anywhere. With smoking bans now restricting where people can smoke outdoors as well as indoors, nicotine pouches offer a convenient alternative to smoking and vaping.
For more information on how the outdoor smoking ban will affect smokers, explore our blog here.
ZYN is available in several different flavours and strengths, like Spearmint, Cool Mint, Espressino, Citrus and Bellini, so you can find a nicotine pouch to satisfy your tastebuds.