RCP responds to polling revealing public support for action tackling tobacco, unhealthy food and alcohol use

The RCP has responded to polling from The Health Foundation and Ipsos revealing public support for the government taking action to tackle tobacco, unhealthy food and alcohol use:

• 73% of the public support extending the indoor smoking ban to specific outside spaces to protect children and vulnerable people, including playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals.
• 62% support introducing a tax on organisations that produce foods high in sugar or salt, with some of the revenue used to fund fresh fruit and vegetables for low income families. 
• 61% support reducing the number of retailers with licenses to sell tobacco to limit tobacco availability. 

Dr John Dean, RCP clinical vice president, said:

“This latest public polling, published on World Health Day, sends a strong and timely message: there is widespread support for the government to take bold action to address the root causes of ill health. Everything from the food we eat to the air we breathe impacts our health and it places significant avoidable pressure on our health service.

“An RCP survey published last week found that 72% of doctors had seen more patients in the past three months with illnesses caused or worsened by wider social determinants of health, 46% said at least half their workload was due to illnesses linked to social factors, and nearly 90% expressed concern about the impact of health inequalities on their patients.

“While the government has made a welcome commitment to prevention, improving the nation’s health cannot rest solely with the Department of Health and Social Care. It requires a coordinated, cross-government strategy that uses every available policy lever.

“Only by acting across all areas of policy can we reduce health inequalities, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier, more economically productive society.”

Professor Sanjay Agrawal, RCP special adviser on tobacco, said:

“The Tobacco and Vapes bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the future health of the country. It will be a landmark moment in the fight against preventable disease.

“However, today’s polling makes clear that the government can and must go further. Smoking remains the leading cause of death in the UK. While the bill will rightly prevent future generations from ever legally purchasing cigarettes, the health of children and young people is still at risk from exposure to the 6 million adults who currently smoke.

“The public clearly supports stronger action to protect young and vulnerable people. This is an opportunity for the government to build on the momentum of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, further protect public health, and deliver a comprehensive approach to creating a smoke-free society.”

Dr Kath McCullough, RCP special adviser on obesity, said:

“We face incredibly complex challenges with obesity, particularly in children and young people. Last year, nearly 10% of children starting school were living with obesity, rising to over 22% by the end of primary school. This is nothing short of a public health crisis. Childhood obesity significantly increases the risk of lifelong health issues and disproportionately impacts children from low-income families, further entrenching health inequalities.

“For too long we have placed the responsibility of weight loss solely on individuals, ignoring the powerful role of the environment around them. Today’s polling demonstrates most people recognise they cannot do it alone. A levy on producers whose products contribute to unhealthy diets – particularly if the revenue is used to increase access to fresh healthy food – is a common-sense approach with public support. If we are serious about improving children’s health and narrowing health inequalities, policies like this must form part of a bold, joined-up national strategy.”