DT News - UK - UK government announces plan to eliminate smoking by 2030

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 29 July 2019

save

LONDON, UK: A green paper published by the UK government has outlined an ambitious plan for the UK to be “smoke-free” by 2030. The goal is part of a larger effort to help address health inequalities and tackle major challenges like obesity and mental health.

The document states that, though only 14% of British adults smoke cigarettes—one of the lowest rates in Europe—for those who do smoke, it remains the primary risk to their health and the leading cause of early death. Furthermore, smokers are disproportionately located in areas of high deprivation. The paper states that one in four pregnant women in Blackpool smoke, compared with one in 50 in Westminster.

The government is considering the possibility that tobacco companies be required to help cover the cost of helping smokers to quit, a “polluter pays” approach that has already been taken by countries like France and the US. When discussing the ambition for England to be “smoke-free”, the paper states, “This includes an ultimatum for industry to make smoked tobacco obsolete by 2030, with smokers quitting or moving to reduced risk products like e-cigarettes.”

Strong links between cigarette smoking and an increased risk of tooth loss, heart disease, pneumonia and cancer have been established in numerous studies. Awareness of these links has continued to grow in the UK, and consequently, smoking rates have declined. In 1974, 45.6% of British adults smoked cigarettes, according to the Office for National Statistics. This figure has dropped significantly over subsequent decades.

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

UK government unveils plan to combat festering dental crisis

LONDON, England: The current state of public health dentistry in the UK is, without question, lamentable. Plagued by financial, personnel and regulatory ...

BDA pressures UK government to address oral health inequalities

LONDON, UK: In last month’s UK general election, the Conservative Party recorded a resounding victory, securing 365 seats to achieve an outright majority ...

British government publishes part two of childhood obesity action plan

LONDON, UK: Two years after the British government published part one of their plan of action to combat childhood obesity, part two has been published. The ...

Study links tooth growth patterns to smoking history

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, England: The systematic and oral health effects of smoking are well established, including reduced calcium absorption, altered vitamin ...

Survey shows UK periodontists feel let down by government and regulators during pandemic

LONDON, UK: Though it is quite evident that dentistry, as a whole, has been greatly affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the specific ways in which ...

Stop the rot? How the new British government plans to rescue NHS dentistry

LONDON, UK: After its recent landslide victory in the UK general election held on 4 July, the new Labour government has placed dentistry high on its list of...

UK government launches consultation on health care indemnity

LONDON, UK: The UK government is currently holding a consultation on appropriate indemnity cover for health care professionals who are not covered by any ...

UK government rejects energy drink ban for children

LONDON, UK: After a period of public consultation, advisors to the UK government have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to warrant a ban on the ...

Interview: bth4 aims to eliminate bruxism at its root

An engineer with more than 15 years’ experience in the private sector, René Garcia founded bth4 in 2013. Based in the American town of Tucson, Arizona, ...

New online toolkit launched by UK researchers to support autistic children’s oral health

LEEDS, England: Researchers from the University of Leeds, in collaboration with the University of Manchester and the University of Sheffield, have launched ...

Education

Live webinar
Thu. 11 September 2025
6:00 pm UTC (London)