Smoking support costs Cornwall over £13million every year
That is how much support for people with smoking related illnesses is costing Cornwall Council
It has been revealed that over £13 million in social care is spent in Cornwall every year because of smoking.
That is how much support for people with smoking related illnesses is costing Cornwall Council.
Action on Smoking and Health say that the country needs sustained investment to help people stop smoking so that the government's ambition of a smoke-free country by 2030 can be possible.
Smoking is the leading cause of premature death in England, killing 74,600 people in 2019 alone.
Smoking is also a leading cause of preventable illness – for every person killed by smoking, at least another 30 are estimated to be living with serious smoking-related disease and disability.
“Smoking has a devastating impact on our communities far beyond the tens of thousands of lives it takes every year. It profoundly undermines the quality of many people’s lives, often placing heavy demands on family and friends.
“Securing the Government’s vision of a smoke-free country by 2030 will make all the difference. It will ease pressure on the social care system and build resilience in our communities, enabling people to live longer, healthier lives.
“Local authorities have a key role to play in ending smoking, but they cannot do it without additional funding. ASH backs calls on the government to introduce a ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco manufacturers to pay for the support needed to end smoking in this country.”
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)