Plans to make Wales smoke-free by the end of the decade have been unveiled by the Welsh government.

A consultation for Wales’ long-term tobacco control strategy was launched today, with the overall target for less than five percent of the population to smoke.

This year, Wales became the first country in the UK to introduce smoke-free playgrounds, school grounds and hospitals.

Next year (March 1, 2022) will see a ban on smoking rooms in hotels and guesthouses, as well as self-contained vacation accommodation such as cottages, caravans and AirBnBs.

According to the Welsh government, while around 14% of people in Wales smoke, “there are strong links between smoking and deprivation, with people in poorer areas being more likely to smoke”.

Research has also shown that people with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other people without mental health issues, according to the Welsh government.

The consultation, which will run until the end of January 2022, will seek to hear citizens’ opinions on how to create a smoke-free society in Wales as well as the detailed actions set out in the first two-year delivery plan.

It aims to combat health inequalities and further help people quit smoking.

The strategy will also examine how additional support can be provided to help more people quit smoking through the NHS free service, Help Me Quit, as well as plans to expand support for hospitalized smokers. Publicly funded organizations could also be asked to be smoke-free and to help their staff get advice and support to quit smoking.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Welfare Lynne Neagle said: ‘Our ambition is to make Wales smoke-free and to help people make choices to improve their health and well-being. to be.

‘Wales led the way by being the first part of the UK to ban smoking in certain public places, including public playgrounds and schoolyards where children and young people spend their time, but we know we need to do more to strengthen our smoke-free environment. message, especially to the next generation and change the way they and society as a whole view smoking.

“Smoking remains the leading cause of premature death here in Wales and a major contributor to health inequalities.

“While we have made progress in recent years in reducing the number of people who smoke, we want to go further and have the ambition to create a Wales where smoking is far from the norm.

“I would encourage people to share their views on this consultation and help shape future decisions.”

Wales Chief Medical Officer Frank Atherton added: “Smoking is extremely harmful to health. In 2018, approximately 5,600 deaths of people aged 35 and over and 28,000 hospitalizations were attributable to smoking.

“We need to work together as a society, including government, healthcare professionals and communities to make sure we are doing all we can to fight tobacco use and reduce the causes of smoking.

“I encourage anyone wishing to quit smoking to access the free NHS Wales helpline, HelpMeQuit for help and support.”

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