© 1999 by Oxford University Press
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 91, No. 2, 116,
January 20, 1999
© 1999 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
British Commence War on Tobacco
The United Kingdom's Department of Health in December launched a comprehensive 3-year, $166-million strategy to reduce the number of people smoking tobacco and to prevent children from starting the behavior.The U.K. effort, which combines advertising restrictions, public health assistance programs, media campaigns, enforcement efforts, and legislation, was announced less than a month after the United States National Cancer Institute adopted its comprehensive, 5-year, multimillion-dollar Tobacco Research Implementation Plan.
The U.S. plan established priorities for tobacco use research starting in 1999. As the first step in implementing the plan, NCI and the National Institute on Drug Abuse will fund new Transdisciplinary Tobacco Research Centers to study an array of tobacco issues including preventing the use of it, treatment for addiction, and the molecular biology of tobacco-related cancers. A second initiative will emphasize studying the effectiveness of state and community tobacco control efforts conducted through mass media campaigns and policy interventions.
More than 50 million pounds will be targeted at a major media campaign designed to change attitudes toward smoking under the British program, according to the white paper Smoking Kills, which laid out the plan. The first ever national cessation program will be launched and will fund initial free nicotine replacement therapy to low-income persons.
Under the plan, new legislation will seek to end tobacco advertising on billboards and the print media and sponsorship of sports events. Restrictions will be placed on advertising in stores, enforcement of underage sales restrictions will be increased, and rules will be strengthened to limit the placement of cigarette machines.
The U.K. plan gives high priority to future research into smoking. Studies should focus on the safety of nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy, as an aid to smoking less, when used over long periods of time, and when used by children, according to the white paper. In addition, studies are needed to gauge the effectiveness of the policies, media campaigns, and new services set out in the 3-year plan.
Smoking is considered the U.K.'s single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death. An estimated 13 million adults in the country smoke.
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