Smoking and vaping outside schools and in parks to be banned in Salford

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Health chiefs are set to introduce smoking and vaping bans outside schools and in parks amid concerns nicotine addiction rates in Salford are the highest in Greater Manchester.

The move comes as the government is poised to ban single-use vapes after calls from local councils, paediatricians and public waste campaigners, making the selling of disposable devices illegal on health and environmental grounds.

Ministers have concluded that the products are chiefly aimed at children, who then become addicted. Salford's health and wellbeing board has said it will actively discourage the use of e-cigarettes by children, young people and non-smokers. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features A report said: “E-cigarettes are regulated and are illegal to sell to those under 18 so we will ensure that this is enforced and monitored through regulatory services.

We will also introduce smoke and vape-free zones where children and young people are present, for example in park play areas and at school gates." It said that smoking remains the ‘biggest cause of preventable disease and death’. “Smoking disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities,” the report said. “A reduction in smoking prevalence would have a positive impact on all health and wellbeing policies.” Smoking rates in Salford have reduced from 27 per cent of the adult population in 2011 to below 20pc in 2022. “But this still equates to 40,000 smokers in Salford, which is the highest rate in Greater Manchester.” It went on: “The current evidence says that e-cigarettes are up to 95pc safer than smoking, for a period of one to two years, there is no current evidence in relation to long-term use. “The National