Creating a generation free from tobacco:

the importance of partnership working

Sheila Duffy

Chief Executive, ASH Scotland

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Global burden of tobacco

• Tobacco kills ~6 million

globally each year

• Projected to be one billion

deaths in next century

• Most of this death and

disease will be in low and

middle income countries

• A double burden for health

systems that are still

engaged in tackling

infectious disease

Source: American Cancer Society, World Lung

Foundation. The Tobacco Atlas: 4th Edition. 2012.

Available from: http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/

"Infectious diseases do not employ multinational

public relations firms. There are no front groups to

promote the spread of cholera. Mosquitoes have

no lobbyists” World Health Organisation. Tobacco Company Strategies to Undermine Tobacco Control

Activities at the World Health Organization: Report of the Committee of Experts on

Tobacco Industry Documents. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2000.

Source: World Health Organisation. World No Tobacco Day 2012: Tobacco industry interference. Available from:

http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2012/industry_interference/en/

Tobacco industry interference

1. Manoeuvring to hijack the

political and legislative process

2. Exaggerating the economic

importance of the industry

3. Manipulating public opinion to

gain the appearance of

respectability

4. Fabricating support through front

groups

5. Discrediting proven science

6. Intimidating governments with

litigation or the threat of litigation

International problems require an international solution

• WHO Framework Convention

on Tobacco Control

• Framework Convention

Alliance

• European Network for

Smoking Prevention

• 13,000 deaths in Scotland annually (a quarter of all

deaths) and around 56,000 hospital admissions are

attributed to smoking

• Those who die from smoking lose on average 10

years of life and those who die in middle age (35-

69) lose on average 22 years of life

• £1.1 billion is lost from the Scottish economy every

year.

The cost of the epidemic in Scotland

Where we’ve come from:

How are we doing? – Adult smoking

Why tobacco & inequality matters

www.instituteofhealthequity.org

Strong, persistent associations

between smoking & socioeconomic disadvantage

Smoking as a greater source of health inequality than social position

“The present study’s key finding is that smokers in all social positions

have poorer survival than those who never smoked in even the lowest

social positions.” Gruer L, Hart CL, Gordon DS, Watt GC. Effect of tobacco smoking on survival of men and women by

social position: a 28 year cohort study. BMJ. 2009 Feb 17;338:b480. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b480.

So how do we get to here? (Scottish Government 2034 smoking target)

2034

Local partnership action

‘Creating a tobacco-free generation: A tobacco control strategy for Scotland’.

Scottish Government. 2013.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00417331.pdf

Benefits of partnership action

• gain a better understanding of each others aims and objectives, enabling the development of a broader perspective and vision;

• pool resources and co-ordinate efforts avoiding duplication of, for example, campaigns and services;

• widen the reach and deepen the impact of initiatives;

• share information in order to debate and develop a shared strategy;

• influence policy makers and practitioners across organisations facilitating changes to policy and practice;

• gain a better understanding of the requirements of the local population;

• encourage and support fellow partners;

• maximise media opportunities.

Delivering comprehensive tobacco control measures requires

partnership working with responsibilities and commitment shared

between health services, local authorities, voluntary organisations

and communities.

Partnerships that target

health inequality • Debt advisory service and smoking cessation;

helping those with least resources to quit and win

• Trading standards, police, local traders, healthy living centre; mobilising local people against organised criminals selling illicit tobacco which undermines the health effects of tobacco taxation

• NHS, nursery education and housing associations; working to reduce child exposure to second-hand smoke

• Youth clubs, football clubs and community education; creating role models of their volunteers and smoke-free youth work policies.

Will we create a generation free

from tobacco?

• In Scotland we have made great progress, but

need to redouble our efforts and look to

innovative approaches to meet ambitious targets

• Worldwide, other nations face significant

challenges in implementing even very basic

tobacco control measures, we have a duty to

support them

• The tobacco industry will fight (with formidable

resources) any measures that threaten its profits;

we need to be ready for this, and have solidarity

with nations being intimidated by the industry

Thank you – comments/questions?

ASH Scotland

8 Frederick Street

Edinburgh, EH2 2HB

Tel. 0131 225 4725

Fax. 0131 225 4759

Email. enquiries@ashscotland.org.uk

www.ashscotland.org.uk

Action on Smoking & Health (Scotland) (ASH Scotland) is a registered Scottish

charity (SC 010412) and a company limited by guarantee(Scottish company no

141711).