BMJ 2024; 387 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2262 (Published 16 October 2024)Cite this as: BMJ 2024;387:q2262
Almost 200 leading doctors, professional bodies, and charities are calling on the chancellor to use the forthcoming budget to introduce a “polluter pays” levy on the tobacco industry.
In an open letter published by The BMJ, they warn that, unless smoking is tackled, there is no prospect of delivering on Labour’s manifesto commitment to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. The letter writers argue that investing in a smoke-free UK will improve public finances. The annual cost of smoking to individuals, public services, and the wider UK economy is £93bn, and the direct cost of smoking to the UK public finances in 2023 was £21.9bn, with a net cost of £13.5bn.
They say that the smoke-free generation proposal in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introduced by the last government and currently making its way through the Houses of Parliament, will be crucial for protecting future generations from tobacco addiction. But the UK’s current 6.4 million adult smokers also need support to quit. Smoking cessation treatment saves £2.37 for every £1 invested, and improving health improves economic productivity.
In 2022 Javed Khan, former chief executive of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, carried out a review into the government’s ambition to make England smoke-free by 2023. Khan recommended a levy on tobacco manufacturers, which the letter says “could raise £700m a year for vital tobacco control activity in a way that would prevent companies from simply passing the cost on to consumers.”
The letter acknowledges the investment by the previous government but says that the new government needs to go even further. “Dedicated long term funding is vital to deliver stop smoking support in hospitals and the community, national marketing campaigns, a robust illicit tobacco strategy, and targeted measures to reduce smoking rates in priority groups,” they write.
Finally, they say that the UK must now re-establish its global leadership in tobacco control. The last Labour government was instrumental in the development and adoption of the first World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. But UK funding for implementation of this treaty in low and middle income countries is set to expire at the end of 2024-25. “Committing the UK to contribute at least £2 million a year for a further five years will cement our place as a world leader in tobacco control,” they conclude.
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive, of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and a letter signatory, said, “Investment in reducing smoking pays dividends for the public finances and underinvestment is a missed opportunity.
“ASH analysis shows that cuts of £15m to NHS funding for tobacco dependence treatment services have cost the health service more than twice as much—£33m a year—in additional savings. Failing to fund efforts to tackle smoking is a false economy.”
Source: BMJ
