Government dangerously complacent on smoking

1.04.09pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 18th Mar 2004

Liberal Democrats today slammed the Government's complacency on tackling smoking.

An announcement from the Department of Health today shows that smoking among adults aged 16 and over has dropped from 28% in 1998, to 26% in 2002. But statistics show that smoking levels remain barely unchanged over a decade.

Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, said:

"The Government is being dangerously complacent. They have tried to spin a story which is not supported by the facts.

"The statistics show quite clearly that smoking levels have barely changed for over a decade. The target of reducing smoking levels to 24% by 2010 is pathetically unambitious.

"Much more needs to be done to tackle the numbers of young women who smoke. Smoking is Britain's biggest killer and the price of dithering and complacency will be lives shortened and more deaths."