Smoking ban effectiveness called into question

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 01-Jul-08, 10:35

LONDON - The impact of the smoking ban has been called into question by Mintel, in a report that claims just 9% of smokers have given up in the past year.

The study, published to coincide with the first anniversary of the ban, also says that the number of cigarettes bought has fallen by about 3% a year since 2003.

One in three smokers said they were unaffected by on-pack health warnings, while 29% said ads had no effect on them. About 22% of adults in Britain smoke.

A survey commissioned by Cancer Research UK estimates that more than 400,000 people have quit smoking in England since the ban. The COI's spend on anti-smoking activity for the past year, just over £9m, equates to a cost of £24.80 for every person who has quit over that period.

Smoking-cessation brands' adspend rose by 15.2% between 2005 and 2007, but while GlaxoSmithKline's NiQuitin's spend rose by 11% to £6.4m, Nicorette, owned by McNeil Healthcare, fell by 23% to just over £4m from £5.7m.

Comments

Ben Lancaster - 01/07/2008

There's something seriously odd with the maths in this. Assuming around 40million aged 16+ in England (according to the 2001 census) and 22% of them are smokers, means that more like 800000 people have stopped, which means that the COI's actually spent £11 per quitter if you go with Mintel's findings.

Michael Byrne - 01/07/2008

That's only £11 a smoker, a much smaller sum than would be spent on NHS treatment if they continued puffing and developed any one of the diseases smoking causes.