Commenting on the launch today of the 5-year tobacco strategy Smoking Still Kills from ASH, RCP president Professor Jane Dacre said:
The RCP welcomes the publication of Smoking Still Kills as a comprehensive blueprint for a smokefree society. Despite the progress we have made over the past couple of decades with the bans on tobacco advertising and smoking in public places, smoking is still our biggest killer.
As the RCP’s reports show, we still need strong policies to help the disadvantaged groups in society most affected by smoking – such as people with mental illness and lower income families. In particular, our children need protection – passive smoking causes over 150,000 cases of illness in children every year. The new government has an opportunity to make a real difference by accepting and implementing the recommendations of Smoking Still Kills, which has overwhelming support from health and medical organisations, and local authorities.
Our children deserve a smokefree future – now is the time to make that happen.
For more information, please contact Morgan Evans, RCP communications and new media adviser, on +44 (0)20 3075 1468 / 0779 508 8253, or email Morgan.Evans@rcplondon.ac.uk
