Smoking

The people of Stockton-on-Tees need to:

• recognise the higher rates of smoking in Stockton-on-Tees in general and particular in at risk groups such as pregnant women, people with long term mental illness, and people in routine or manual jobs or living in more deprived areas
• understand the detrimental impact of smoking on health outcomes such as respiratory disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease and is a driving force for health inequalities (the Stockton Stop Smoking Service has new link worker roles which are doing some targeted work with housing, adult social care and mental health to work towards the health inequalities)
• work with the general population and particular at-risk groups to raise awareness through strategic communication campaigns such as via Fresh which includes both stop smoking and vaping information and resources
• look at the training on offer within Stockton-on-Tees at present, including 'very brief intervention' training and Making Every Contact Count, and how training around smoking and vaping can be delivered to ensure professionals receive the correct level of training required for their role
• explore enhancing the offer of the current Stop Smoking Service offer to suit the needs of the local population such as a tiered level of support offer and a 'quit vaping' offer
• explore improving the targeted interventions offered through the Stop Smoking Service by utilising the 'what works' public health research such as considering including face to face group interventions and exercise incentive schemes (this is in addition to supporting the continuation of the 'swap to stop' and financial incentive schemes)
• encourage and establish strong partnership working, particularly through the Smoke Free Alliance, to ensure work on smoking within Stockton-on-Tees is co-ordinated and services can understand their role in supporting the smoke free generation vision
• continue to advocate for a smokefree generation from various sources and at a range of various levels (including but not limited to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Fresh and Ash)
• recognise the importance of data to advise on the needs and issues of service users to help direct targeted interventions (such as those who wish to get support to quit vaping) and improve data collection across several different organisations to provide a holistic view of the issues regarding smoking and vaping within Stockton-on-Tees
• monitor new government legalisation and the impact locally, this can be done through the Stockton Smoke Free Alliance to ensure multi agency approach