Report attached.

Cabinet:

Approved the Havering Tobacco Harm Reduction Strategy 2024-2029 for implementation.

Report Title: Tobacco Harm Reduction Strategy 2024-2029 

Presented by: Councillor Gillian Ford, Cabinet Member for Adults & Wellbeing

Summary:

This strategy supports Havering Council to meet its People Theme priorities of ensuring that people are helped to live independent, socially connected and healthier lives as set out in the Corporate Plan 2022/23 – 2026/2.  

Addressing the wider determinants of health, including lifestyle factors such as smoking behaviour, supports the vision and broaderobjectives of reducing smoking-related harms and inequalities as set out in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy andthe Place Based Partnership Strategy. 

Delivery of the strategy will be supported largely by government grant and public health grant. In 2023, the government announced commitment to five-year funding to local authorities from 2024/25 to 2028/29 to boost stop smoking activities as part of national drive to achieve a smoke-free England by 2030. In 2024-25 Havering was allocated £307,543 and £315,471 in 2025-26. Public health grant contribution is £36,040. 

This five-year Tobacco Harm Reduction strategy sets out the vision and aims of the Havering Tobacco Harm Reduction Partnership (THRP) group to jointly reduce tobacco harm and address the risingyouth vaping in line with national ambition of creating a smoke-free society by 2030 set out in the National Tobacco Control Planand the 2023 policy paper Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smoke free generation. 

The strategy outlines a comprehensive approach to tackle tobacco use and its associated harms emphasising collaboration with various partners, enabling more people to stop smoking, preventing smoking initiation among youth, creating and expanding smoke-free environments to protect children and vulnerable from second-hand smokewhilst also strengthening regulation and enforcement. 

Insight into the extent of smoking and vaping,the impact, challenges and groups disproportionately affected by smokingare highlighted in the strategy as well as the growing trend of youth vaping propelled by significant vapes marketing to young people.   

Recommendations from the Tobacco Harm Reduction needs assessment such as expansion of local services, prioritised tailored support for groups with high smoking levels, training of health and social care professionals, communication and strengthened capacity of trading standards underpin the ambition and strategic objectives and the need for tailored interventions to address the inequalities caused by smoking. 

There are four clear strategic priorities set out over the coming years as below: 

·        Supporting smokers to quit and reducing variation in smoking rates. 

·        Prevention - empowering individuals to avoid smoking and vaping. 

·        Creating smoke-free environments  

·        Strengthening local regulation and enforcement  

Progress will be tracked by specific targets and indicatorswith a focus on achieving a downward trend in smoking prevalence by?2028/29.  Delivery is through a yearly action plan, refreshed annually in line with funding allocation, reflecting new developments and Haveringchanging needs.The strategy incorporates feedback from public consultation and has been agreed by the Health and Wellbeing Board on 7th May 2025 to proceed to cabinet for approval. 

Cabinet:

Approved the Havering Tobacco Harm Reduction Strategy 2024-2029 for implementation.