Department Of Health
This article was originally published in iNews.
As nurses and midwives, we have witnessed the huge harm and devastation that smoking causes for individuals, families and society as a whole as a result of preventable illness, death and health inequalities.
We know that people often start smoking at a young age some as children. This then becomes a lifelong addiction and a battle to quit.
Smoking accounts for 80,000 deaths across the UK each year and is the leading cause of health inequalities accounting for differences in life expectancy between the most and least affluent communities across the UK.
Smoking can affect unborn babies and it increases the risk of illness in children and in adults, and yet it can be avoided. It remains one of the biggest single causes of preventable illness and death across the United Kingdom (UK).
There is clear evidence that smoking contributes to a wide range of ill health or health concerns throughout the life course, including still birth in pregnant women and an increased risk of complications in pregnancy and labour, through to asthma in children and multiple conditions which occur later in life such as certain cancers, heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia to name a few.
We are also concerned about the growing number of children and young people who are taking up vaping, which can lead to nicotine addiction and unknown longer-term harms. The deliberate targeting of vapes to children and young people needs to be urgently addressed.
As the Tobacco and Vapes Bill starts to be debated within parliament, we would like to set out our professional position. We strongly support political parties from all four nations to provide their full backing for a smokefree generation.
As a group of professions who commit to helping others, we now look for action which will prevent ill health, death, reduce health inequalities and the unnecessary suffering of thousands of people now and for our future generations.
Dame Ruth May Chief Nursing Officer for England
Professor Alex McMahon Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland
SueTranka Chief Nursing Officer for Wales
Maria McIlgorm Chief Nursing Officer for Northen Ireland
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England
Caroline Keown, Chief Midwifery Officer for Department of Health for Northern Ireland
Justine Craig, Chief Midwifery Officer, Scotland
Karen Jewell, Chief Midwifery Officer, Wales