Tackling Smoking in Wales

Background: Action on Smoking and Health Wales is Wales’s national charity seeking to reduce the harm and inequality caused by tobacco. Wales is formulating a new tobacco control plan which sets the course of actions for the next decade. The plan currently aims to make Wales smoke-free (less than 5% smoking prevalence) by 2030.

However, modelling by CRUK in 2020, found this target will not be met until 2037 if the current pace of reductions remains the same, with more deprived groups reaching 5% much later. Under the CRUK model the pace of change needs to be accelerated by 40% for Wales to become smoke-free by 2030. Health inequalities in Wales have shown little improvement in a decade.

Therefore any additional needs to focus on addressing those inequalities.

Aims: We will work to ensure Welsh Government, Key Opinion Leaders, and stakeholders take action to increase the pace of change and put Wales on track to achieving the endgame target.

Method: Our work will support; innovation in cessation solutions that meet the needs smokers with a focus on priority groups; direct action to keep tobacco out of the hands of children by making it less attractive and available and the denormalisation of smoking across all sections of society.

We will push for targets to monitor actions progress and hold Welsh Government and stakeholders to account through our position on the Strategy Board. Will will publish research, briefings and respond to key legislative consultations.

Provide evidence-led direction to key decision makers, including Welsh Government and work with a wide range of stakeholders to shape policy initiatives and guide the strategic direction of tobacco control in Wales.

Through our Cross0Party Group we will garner political and stakeholder support and promote an integrated cross-government approach. Through our Tobacco Alliance and tobacco network we will create a collective voice to drive action.

Finally, through our surveys and public relations programme we will work to harness civil society action to support the smoke-free Wales vision.

Value: Through CRUK’s support for our policy and advocacy work we are able to significantly influence political action on tobacco and health in Wales. ASH Wales and the tobacco alliance have been instrumental in securing a commitment to an endgame target for Wales.

With CRUK's support ASH Wales will be able to independently challenge and drive forward tobacco control policies in Wales and ensure that the target is reached.