Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your browser . Unsubscribe here

Tobacco Free Futures
date

November 2015

33,129 North West smokers told to keep going after Stoptober 2015

33,129 smokers across the North West are estimated to have stubbed out their cigarettes this month for Stoptober according to Public Health England. It is great to see that even though the National sign up figure has slightly decreased compared to last year, our region had the second largest amount of sign-ups in the Country and has increased by over 1,000 compared to 2014. It was another successful year for Stoptober with 215,947 people around the country tooking part in the 28-day challenge. To see the regional sign up figures please click here. Local authority sign up figures will be available later this month and we will include them in the next edition of the eNews.

TFF sent a regional press release to media to welcome the news which you can view by clicking here. The figures have been covered in the Liverpool Echo, Key 103 and Andrea Crossfield also took part in a video interview with Key 103 to talk about Stoptober and smokefree cars which can view by clicking here. 

spacer

Quitting smoking would lift 156,000 people in the North West out of poverty

New figures from ASH released last week show that of 730,000 households in the North West that include an adult smoker, 224,000 (31%) are below the poverty line. An estimated 87,000 households could be lifted out of poverty if they quit smoking and these households comprise of around 156,000 people. On average households that include a smoker spend £2,158 a year on tobacco. The figures were published alongside a health inequalities toolkit which you can view by clicking here. TFF sent a press release to highlight the news which you can view by clicking here.

spacer

PHE updated local tobacco control profiles for England

Public Health England has updated it's local tobacco profiles which provide a snapshot of the extent of tobacco use, tobacco related harm, and measures being taken to reduce harm at a local level. Find your local authority profile by clicking here.

spacer

New figures released show illegal tobacco trade is not rising

New figures released from HM Revenue & Customs show the level of tobacco smuggling in the UK in 2014/15 has not risen since last year. In 2014/15 an estimated 10% of cigarettes consumed in the UK were illicit, the same figure as for 2013/14. The figures for hand-rolled tobacco were 35% in 2014/15 compared to 39% in 2013/14. You can view the statistics by clicking here.

spacer

Risks of tobacco vs. meat

After some media outlets reported that eating red meat is as dangerous as smoking, Cancer Research UK put together a useful infographic and blog to compare the risks. Read more here.

spacer

Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group report 2015

The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group has been working to update the recommendations of its original 2013 report to the Public Health Minister. The overall rate has fallen to below 11% in England and the report urges a national target of below 6% by 2020. You can read the full report by clicking here.

spacer

New guidance from NICE: Drinking and smoking

NICE has produced new guidance that advises people entering middle age should cut down the amount of alcohol they consume and stop smoking to reduce their risk of developing dementia, disability and frailty in later life. You can read the guidance by clicking here.

Editor's note

Hi , welcome to your November eNews.

It is great to hear that so many people across the North West took on the challenge to quit smoking this Stoptober. The regional sign up rate was the second highest in the country which highlights the hard work of services, local authorities and partners to localise the campaign and motivate smokers to sign up.

New figures released last week highlighted the need for quitting campaigns like Stoptober, with ASH issuing data which showed that quitting smoking would lift 156,000 people in the North West out of poverty and 87,000 homes. Quitting campaigns present a huge opportunity to make a difference to whole communities, improving the health of the smoker, putting more money into the household and improving the quality of life of families.

Ian White, Project Manager: Communications and Marketing

Local News

Greater Manchester

Campaign shows the dangers of smoking in cars in Wigan

One million suspected illegal cigarettes seized in raids across Manchester and Bolton

Cheshire and Merseyside

Halton moves to outside smoking ban

Stoptober doesn't end here...

Lancashire 

New app helps young mums quit smoking in Lancashire 

Blackpool hits back over pregnant smokers

Cumbria

Nearly 16% of pregnant women in Cumbria and North East smoke

Cumbria welcomes changes to e-cigs law

Send us your story

If you would like a story included in our next eNews, please email details and a link to more information to us here.

Make Smoking History for Children