New strategy to exit tobacco in Wales

The Welsh Government has unveiled an ambitious new tobacco control strategy.[1] which aims to achieve a tobacco-free generation, where fewer than 5% of the adult population smoke, by 2030. This strategy sets out firm actions and policies with the aim of permanently ending the tobacco epidemic in Wales.

Several countries around the world have stated their ambition to achieve a tobacco-free generation within 5 to 10 years, including France, England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, and Sweden. Currently, 13% of the Welsh adult population (aged 16 and over) smoke daily, with significant inequalities across population groups.

To achieve this objective, the Welsh Government will implement successive two-year action plans starting in 2022-2024, setting out in detail the actions to be undertaken.

Reducing health inequalities

Despite progress in reducing smoking overall, smoking rates in Wales remain high among certain groups of people, such as those living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, those in manual occupations, the unemployed, people with mental health conditions, and people from certain ethnic minorities or communities (LGBTQ+). These disparities exacerbate economic and health inequalities through the cost of tobacco and tobacco-related illnesses.

One priority will be to focus on reducing these inequalities by working with smokers in these groups to better understand the barriers that prevent them from quitting smoking and thus be able to provide them with appropriate support to quit.

Measures targeted at children and adolescents

Wales aims to strengthen and expand its previous efforts to denormalize tobacco and all nicotine products and their use, in order to protect young people from secondhand smoke and prevent their initiation. The government aims to further develop smoke-free spaces, particularly those used by children, such as school playgrounds, outdoor areas of childcare facilities, and public playgrounds, as well as in private cars when a child is present.

Currently in Wales, approximately 151% of pregnant women report smoking during the 1^er trimester of their pregnancy. Specific smoking cessation support is already available to pregnant women in Wales, but additional measures will be considered to increase the number of smoke-free pregnancies, but also concerning the period before conception.

In order to break generational patterns of smoking, it is planned to identify priority groups of children and young people who are at higher risk of starting to smoke and/or who have a higher prevalence of smoking, in order to work with them through dedicated school-based programs to better understand the reasons for smoking, and provide targeted, evidence-based support for prevention and cessation.

A global approach initiated by a plurality of actors

To achieve the ambitious goal of a tobacco-free generation, the country must adopt a comprehensive approach to tobacco control, with coordination among all stakeholders at the local, regional and national levels, and with the integration of tobacco control principles into and through all policy areas.

As a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the Welsh Government aims to ensure the consistent implementation of all evidence-based requirements of the Convention, while continuing to work in partnership with other nations in the UK and other countries implementing effective measures.

Keywords: Wales, tobacco-free generation, 2030, health inequalities

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