A new scheme has been proposed in an effort to reduce smoking trends amongst young people throughout Britain.
The possibility of banning the sale of cigarettes to those under 25 could well be on the cards as a way to dramatically reduce the number of smokers in certain age groups.
The scheme comes as an anti-smoking tsar has been recently commissioned, with their main aim being to create a "smoke free" country.
According to The Times, an upcoming independent review commissioned by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and led by former Barnardo's CEO Javed Khan OBE is expected to launch England into its "smoke free" future by the goal of 2030 - which would mean that fewer than 5% of the adult population smokes.
The reported raising of cigarette sale age would be similar to a ban that is already initiated in New Zealand.
Currently in New Zealand, anyone who was born after 2008 is not able to buy tobacco items, and because of this, Mr Khan is reportedly considering whether an argument could be made for "raising the age to 19, 20, 21, or even 25" in the UK.
Britain has set the target of being a smoke-free nation by 2030 / Credit: lilartsy | Julia Engel (via Unsplash)
"We are thinking seriously about the age of sale," Mr Khan told The Times.
He continued: "Just look at the COVID experience, mass marketing has a big effect, it really works... the government went hell for leather, it made an enormous difference in vaccination rates.
"So why not do something like that again, if we really want to save people’s lives."
Echoing the sentiment and speaking on the intent to make Britain a smoke-free nation by 2030, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement on the government's website: "The pandemic has shown the resilience of the British public and brought communities together to look after each other in the most challenging times.
"But it has also exposed chasms in our society - particularly in health."
Mr Khan added: "I am very pleased to be leading this review into such an important area of public health [and] my independent findings will help highlight key interventions, which can help the government achieve its ambitions to be smoke-free by 2030 and tackle health disparities."
Banning the sale of cigarettes to those under 25 in England is now believed to be "on the table" / Credit: Flickr
In England, there are currently said to be about six million smokers.
Tobacco is also found to be the biggest cause of preventable death in the UK, and in the most-recent data from 2019, a recorded 64,000 smokers died from smoking, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Cancer Research estimates that the UK is currently set to miss the target of being smoke-free by 2030.
The charity says the country is not expected to smoke-free until at least 2037, as there is said to be a 20-year gap in smoking rates between the least and most deprived people, meaning the richest are expected to achieve smoke-free status in 2025, but the poorest are not expected until the mid-2040s.
A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Leeds.
Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?
While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.
But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.
Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.
The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.
Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.
And Leeds has taken the fourth spot.
The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Manchester
Birmingham
Liverpool
Leeds
London
“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.
“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”
Leeds Railway Station entrance FINALLY reopens after four-year delay
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we have all been waiting for...the entrance to Leeds station has finally reopened.
The £46.1m Leeds Station Sustainable Travel Gateway has been in the works since 2022, with the original target for completion set for autumn 2025.
A number of set backs meant that the opening was delayed time and time again, with the most recent hurdle being that one of the lifts was broken.
But now, all the hard work and patience (or lack thereof) has paid off because the entrance has finally reopened.
Images: The Hoot
Other than the swanky new stairs and lift that will take you straight to Bishopgate Street from the front of the station, there's also a new taxi rank that will also come into operation today.
The new taxi rank will allow hackney carriages to pick up there as well as the current location on Princes Square at the rear of the station.
The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: "Leeds as a city is booming, and one of the truest indicators of our ongoing growth and appeal is the ever-rising number of people using our railway station. Currently, Leeds Station handles more than 27 million passengers a year, with footfall inside the station rising six percent year on year and is now busier than before COVID.
“It is fundamental that we have a station that is not only easily able to meet current demand but is also fit for the future, providing a welcoming gateway for the many millions of passengers travelling into our city.
Images: The Hoot
“At the same time, it is vital that our station gateway is a safer and more accessible environment for everyone who uses it. We have worked in close partnership with groups from across our city to ensure that these new facilities provide a much-improved experience which is more pedestrian-friendly and allows people to board taxis much more safely.”
The Hoot -
15th March 2022 
