- People who quit smoking can expect to see improvements in breathing in a matter of days.
- Each year around 76,000 people in the UK die from smoking.
Messages encouraging smokers to quit could be added to the inside of cigarette packs under proposals being considered by the government.
The inserts would set out the health and financial benefits of quitting smoking and direct people to the support they may need, the Department of Health said.
People who quit smoking can expect to see improvements in their breathing in a matter of days, a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of a heart attack within a year and save £2,000 per year on average.
A consultation launched today, which will run until October, seeks feedback on the proposals and the design of the inserts.
Every year around 76,000 people in the UK die from smoking, which remains one of the leading preventable causes of illness and death according to the NHS.
People who quit smoking can expect to see improvements in their breathing in a matter of days, a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of a heart attack within a year and save £2,000 per year on average.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “By taking action to reduce smoking rates… we will take the pressure off the NHS and help people live healthier lives.”
It is responsible for nearly 4 per cent of hospital admissions, equivalent to nearly £450,000 a year, and tobacco-related harm is believed to cost taxpayers an estimated £21 billion each year, including more than £2 billion in costs to the NHS. The inserts are already used in other countries, including Canada and Israel.
Analysis of the impact of the policy in Canada found that nearly one in three smokers had read the inserts at least once a month and those who were exposed to them multiple times were significantly more likely to try to quit.
The government says the introduction of pack inserts could lead to 30,000 more smokers quitting, delivering £1.6 billion worth of health benefits.
The consultation is part of the government’s efforts toward its commitment to make the nation smoke-free by 2030, which is equivalent to smoking rates falling to less than 5 percent.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “By taking action to reduce smoking rates… we will take the pressure off the NHS and help people live healthier lives.”
The launch of the consultation comes as the government today publishes an initial report on its Core Conditions Strategy, which covers the six groups of conditions that account for 60 per cent of all illness and premature death in England.
