Beach smoking ban among options in tobacco survey

The survey is asking for people's views on ideas like banning smoking on beaches or public parks

People in Guernsey are being asked for their views on how to cut smoking rates in the Bailiwick.

Smoking bans on beaches, public parks and children's playgrounds are among the ideas the public has been asked to comment on, as part of a public survey launched by the Health Improvement Commission (HIC).

Guernsey has set a short-term goal of reducing smoking rates to less than 10% by 2028, but this will need new tobacco control policies, the commission said.

The commission said the policies included in the survey were "only potential options" and none had been "proposed, planned or agreed on" by the States.

'Bold measures'

Other policies in the survey included increasing the smoking age to 21, incrementally increasing the smoking age year-on-year, and banning tobacco sales on certain parts of the islands.

The policies it selected were "already in place" or being considered in other countries, it said.

Lucy Cave, the commission's tobacco harm reduction officer, said smoking rates had "plateaued" so "bold measures" were needed to reduce them further.

'Important' feedback

The commission said the results of the survey would be fed back to Public Health "to help support evidence-based decision making about future tobacco control policy" and would be publicly reported.

Dr Nicola Brink, director of public health, said islanders' views were "so important in informing what we should be doing."

The survey, which was launched on Thursday, is open to anyone who lives in the Bailiwick and is 18 or older.