BDA supports new anti-smoking initiatives
The British Dental Association has joined other members of the Smokefree Action Coalition in backing the government’s new initiatives to try and encourage people to give up smoking.
Last week, the government announced that shops will no longer be able to display boxes of cigars and cigarettes and there are also plans to ban enticing packaging; the government has promised to hold a consultation to discuss the possibility of introducing plain packaging for cigarette boxes. Large shows will not be permitted to display tobacco products from April 2012 and small shops will not be permitted to display products from April 2015. The government also announced initiatives to reduce the prevalence of smoking amongst all groups in society, including children, adults and pregnant women.
Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the BDA, said that the initiatives are a step in the right direction. The link between smoking and serious health issues is well-documented and the cost of smoking to the NHS is vast. Encouraging people to stop smoking will improve the overall health of the nation and reduce the number of cases of conditions, such as lung cancer and oral cancer.
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