Freedom From Tobacco: the next stage for tobacco control in Scotland

Background: The Scottish Government was elected in May 2011 with a manifesto commitment to develop a new tobacco control strategy for Scotland. In office the Public Health Minister has reiterated the commitment and the strategy development process is now underway and expected to be completed in the first half of 2012. Funding from Cancer Research UK has enabled ASH Scotland to play a pivotal role in creating the political space for this new strategy and develop a comprehensive framework for this next phase of tobacco control delivery. In this proposal we set out a plan of work to ensure that the new strategy translates into sustained and effective tobacco control work across Scotland. Objectives: 1) To sustain political momentum in Scotland following the publication of the strategy and impress upon Scottish political audiences that tobacco control remains an urgent focus for action; 2) To create an environment where fewer young people in Scotland take up smoking, through campaigning for legislation on plain packaging for tobacco products and promoting new Government targets to reduce smoking rates amongst young people; 3) To oppose attempts by the tobacco industry to speak through more respectable proxy voices, particularly amongst local retailers and hospitality industries and their national organizations; 4) To maintain and enhance an appropriate support and enforcement regime, ensuring smoke-free and point of retail legislation continue to deliver on their potential; 5) To build a wider public and political discussion on, and then deliver targets to reduce, the impact of second hand smoke (SHS) exposure in homes and vehicles across all Scottish communities; 6) To achieve a multi-agency plan, with specific targets, to tackle illicit tobacco in Scotland Approach: We will: - continuously update and share the evidence base relevant to topical political issues - analyse and provide commentary on progress towards national targets and in delivering strategy commitments - have regular engagement with MSPs, Scottish Government Ministers and civil servants, working with Members of the Westminster and European Parliaments when issues within their remit (such as plain packaging) impact upon Scotland - conduct rapid rebuttal of tobacco industry tactics, alongside improved engagement with sectors (such as retail) susceptible to industry engagement - engage politicians and media at local level, to maximize support for national policy progress - emphasise building the wider tobacco control movement through engaging the broad range of our contacts and in particular supporting the SCOT coalition