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Four of Britain’s top nurses have urged MPs to back Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban bill in the House of Commons.
The chief nursing officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland published an open letter ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary vote on whether to approve the bill.
The Prime Minister faces opposition from a number of Conservative MPs, including Liz Truss, after declaring the motion was a “free vote” in which Conservatives were allowed to challenge the Government’s position.
In an unusual intervention, four nursing directors said they supported the tobacco and e-cigarette bill.
In an open letter provided, they wrote: I: “As nurses and midwives, we have seen firsthand the enormous harm and devastation that smoking causes to individuals, families and society as a whole, resulting in preventable disease, death and health disparities.”
The group added: “As debate begins on the tobacco and vaping bill in parliament, we would like to express our professional position. I strongly support it.
“As a group of professionals committed to helping others, we are working to prevent poor health and death for thousands of people today, reduce health inequalities and unnecessary suffering, and help protect the lives of thousands of people now and in the future.” We are seeking to act on behalf of the next generation.”
The bill would stipulate that anyone born after January 1, 2009 would never be able to buy cigarettes, meaning the legal smoking age would gradually rise from 2027 onwards.
It would also limit the types of flavors that e-cigarettes can be sold in, and regulate how e-cigarettes are packaged and sold to discourage children from purchasing e-cigarettes.
The bill is supported by Labor, meaning it is very likely to pass the House of Commons on a second reading vote, despite a looming Tory revolt.
The aim is to prevent future generations from taking up smoking, rather than punishing current smokers, and Mr Sunak argues that this will improve public health without restricting existing freedoms. There is.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said: ‘The truth is there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is extremely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect future generations. is.”
Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, added: “If passed, this bill will have a huge impact on preventing disease, disability and premature death into the future.”
Smokers’ rights group Forest said the bill would help “criminal organizations” by driving the tobacco trade underground. Labor also suggested that the law may need to be changed in the future to avoid a situation where people in their 30s and 40s have to prove their age to buy cigarettes.
Bringing back the “non-smoking generation” including chief nurses
As nurses and midwives, we have seen firsthand the enormous harm and destruction that smoking causes to individuals, families and society as a whole, resulting in preventable disease, death and health disparities. People often start smoking at a young age, but some start smoking as children. This then becomes a lifelong addiction and a struggle to quit.
Smoking is responsible for 80,000 deaths across the UK each year and is a major cause of health inequalities, explaining the difference in life expectancy between the richest and least affluent areas across the UK.
Smoking can affect the fetus and increases the risk of disease in children and adults, but it can be avoided. It remains one of the biggest single causes of preventable disease and death across the UK.
There is clear evidence that smoking contributes to a wide range of illnesses and health concerns throughout the life course, from increased risk of stillbirth and pregnancy and delivery complications in pregnant women, to asthma and multiple diseases that develop later in life. There’s proof. These include certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, and vascular dementia, to name a few.
We are also concerned about the growing number of children and youth vaping. This can lead to nicotine addiction and unknown long-term harm. The intentional targeting of children and young people with e-cigarettes needs to be addressed urgently.
As the tobacco and e-cigarette bill begins to be debated in Parliament, we would like to express our professional position. We strongly support political parties in the four countries to fully support a smoke-free generation. As a group of professionals committed to helping others, we are currently working to prevent poor health and death for thousands of people, reduce health inequalities and unnecessary suffering, and improve the lives of thousands of people now and in the future. We are seeking to act for the benefit of generations.
Dame Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer, UK
Professor Alex McMahon, Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland
Sue Tranka, Chief Nursing Officer, Wales
Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer Northern Ireland