Government plans adding inserts in cigarette packs

The government has launched a new consultation, seeking views on adding pack inserts into tobacco products to encourage more smokers to quit.

Placed inside the packaging of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, they would contain messages to encourage people to quit and signpost them to advice and support.

Smoking remains the single leading preventable cause of illness and mortality in the UK. It results in nearly 4 per cent of all hospital admissions each year – equivalent to almost 450,000 admissions. Tobacco-related harms are also estimated to cost taxpayers an estimated £21 billion every year, including over £2 billion in costs to the NHS.

Although smoking rates in the UK are at an all-time low, by taking further action, the government seeks to cut waiting lists and reduce the burden on the NHS. Introducing pack inserts into all tobacco products in the UK is expected to lead to an additional 30,000 smokers giving up their habit – delivering health benefits worth £1.6 billion.

“Smoking places a huge burden on the NHS, economy and individuals. It directly causes a whole host of health problems – including cancers and cardiovascular disease – and costs the economy billions every year in lost productivity,” Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said.

By taking action to reduce smoking rates and pursuing our ambition to be smokefree by 2030, we will reduce the pressure on the NHS and help people to live healthier lives.

The consultation will seek views on the introduction and design of pack inserts.

Pack inserts are already used in other countries – including Canada and Israel, with Australia also announcing its intention to introduce them – and the government noted that there is evidence that they can be an effective means of encouraging smokers to quit.

An evaluation of the policy’s impact in Canada found that almost 1 in 3 smokers had read the inserts at least once in the past month, and that those who were exposed to the inserts multiple times were significantly more likely to try to give up smoking.

The consultation builds on a recent package of measures designed to drive the government’s ambition to be smokefree by 2030, which include:

• funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – the first of its kind in the world – to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit, alongside expert support
• launching a financial incentive scheme – in the form of vouchers alongside behavioural support – to support pregnant women to stop smoking, with an aim to reach all pregnant smokers by the end of next year
• a new strategy to combat illicit tobacco, which will outline efforts to catch and punish those involved in the illegal market

The tobacco inserts consultation will run until 10 October.