The move aims to protect children and vulnerable groups from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Wes Streeting confirmed that the government will launch a public consultation on the proposed expansion of smoke-free zones.
Existing indoor smoke-free areas will also be strengthened, with workplaces, public transport and private vehicles carrying under-18s set to become “heated tobacco-free and vape-free.” Outdoor areas associated with hospitality, such as bar or restaurant gardens, and wide-open public spaces, including beaches, will be exempt.
Streeting said: “No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke. Second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer, and we want to protect children and the sick from harm. Prevention is better than cure.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, highlighted the health risks for those exposed to secondhand smoke, including increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, cancers, stroke and heart disease, with the greatest danger to children, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Health organisations have welcomed the proposals. British Heart Foundation chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said: “No child should have to walk through a cloud of deadly secondhand smoke on their way to the classroom or playground, nor should any patient be exposed to harm on hospital grounds. We strongly support the Government’s consultation and call for urgent implementation.”
The public consultation will inform the final legislation, with the goal of building a healthier England and reducing pressure on the NHS.
