The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership has embraced Rishi Sunak’s announcement to reduce smoking in the next generation of people.
The organisation aims to help a range of health and social care organisations work more effectively together with people and communities.
During a speech at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester last week, the prime minister announced plans to raise the legal age of cigarette sales every year to prevent children getting addicted to smoking.
Sarah Price, Chief Officer for Population and Health Inequalities at NHS Greater Manchester, said: “This is a historic moment.
“I look back on when the smoke-free law came into effect and the societal shift it brought about – and this is another vital step forward.
“People in Greater Manchester want to see an end to the health inequalities starkly felt across their communities and an end to young people getting hooked on smoking.”
The government’s plan also includes doubling funding for local stop-smoking services, increased funding for “quit smoking” campaigns and tackling illicit tobacco and vapes.
This will be in line with the Integrated Care Partnership’s commitment to Making Smoking History and delivering a Smokefree 2030 across the city region.
Tobacco harm costs Greater Manchester’s economy £910m each year and 5,700 people die each year from smoking-related causes, according to Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership.
