Overall policy

United Kingdom

European Union

EU Council recommendation on the prevention of smoking and on initiatives to improve tobacco control
Council Recommendation on the prevention of smoking and on initiatives to improve tobacco control. This is a non-binding policy statement from the Council to the member states of the EU, covering issues that are not regulated at EU level, including retailing, vending machines, passive smoking, indirect advertising and disclosure of marketing budgets. It is not mandatory for member states to follow this recommendation, but it gives a community common view on several issues and may, for example, inform the positions taken internationally It may be used for forming EU positions in international negotiations. The German delegation voted against the proposed recommendation.

Author: Council of the European Union Published By: Council of the European Union Published : 05/12/2002

Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation (Policy Document July 1999)
This policy document sets out a broad strategy for improving health and tackling health inequalities. It also sets out targets for the reduction of cancer and coronary heart disease and stroke by 2010.

UK Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier - A White Paper (Policy Document November 2004)
This public health White Paper sets out the Government’s proposals to tackle a range of health issues including smoking. The key tobacco policies include a proposal to ban smoking in all workplaces; a commitment to maintain, and maximise use of, the stop smoking clinics; greater enforcement of the law to stop sales of tobacco to children; plans for pictorial health warnings and further efforts to combat tobacco smuggling.

UK Choosing Health Delivery Plans (Policy Document March 2005)
This document outlines the key steps to be taken over the next three years to deliver the Choosing Health White Paper. The Department of Health will report on progress every six months.

Smoking Kills: A White paper on tobacco
10th December 1998: the UK government publishes its comprehensive tobacco policy - covering tobacco advertising and marketing, taxation, smoking cessation, anti-tobacco campaigns, passive smoking in the workplace and public places, international aspects, protection of children and establishing a range of targets.

The NHS Cancer Plan (Policy Document September 2000)
The NHS Cancer Plan seeks to address issues relating to cancer, from prevention, to detection and treatment of the disease. The document recognises smoking to be a major contributor to prevalence of the disease and hence sets out targets for improving prevention which include reducing tobacco use in disadvantaged groups.