ASH and SPECTRUM respond to post implementation review on effectiveness of tobacco and related products legislation

The joint submission covers both the effectiveness of the current regulations and proposals for how they could be strengthened, in order to achieve a Smokefree 2030.

19 March 2021

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and SPECTRUM today submitted their joint response to a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation reviewing the effectiveness of tobacco and related products legislation, introduced between 2015 to 2016.

Effective, but could be strengthened

The response highlights that whilst regulations have been effective, they must be strengthened in order to achieve the increased rate of decline in smoking rates needed to deliver the Government’s Smokefree 2030 ambition.

The submission includes the full list of 32 recommendations made by ASH and SPECTRUM detailing how the regulations could be strengthened.

Underpinned by research from SPECTRUM members

The submission was underpinned by peer reviewed research carried out by SPECTRUM members from across the Consortium. Including research into e-cigarettes (Kings College London), the methods used by industry to bypass the regulations in particular the menthol ban (University of Bath), the packaging and labelling of tobacco products and dissuasive cigarettes (University of Stirling), and smokers’ behavior after the introduction of regulations (University College London).

Read the joint response

Read the consultation response on the ASH website

Consultation details on GOV.UK