Coventry is set to receive over half a million pounds this year, with a further £2million to follow over the next four years to help national plans to create a ‘smoke-free generation’.
The funding is part of the Government’s ‘Stopping the Start’ plan that was published last year and aims to see the first smoke-free generation by 2030.
Coventry has been awarded an annual grant of £520,304 from April this year until March 2029 as long as it can show that work on the programmes is continuing every year.
In October last year, the Government announced plans to raise the age of sale for tobacco products by one year every year from 2027 onwards, and to tighten restrictions on the sale of vapes to children and young people.
This would mean children who turn 14 this year would never legally be able to buy any tobacco products.
The moves would be supported by an increase in funding for awareness and enforcement campaigns, and extra funding for local authorities.
That funding is based on a formula using the total estimated number of smokers living in the area.
In Coventry over the next 12 months, the money will be used on areas such as increasing local resources to help people quit smoking, educating young people, and increasing referrals into stop smoking services and promoting stop smoking support.
The Council currently spends around £420,000 a year on smoking cessation services.
Cllr Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing at Coventry City Council, said:
“Through our One Coventry Plan, the Council is working with partners to make communities safer, improve the health and wellbeing of local residents, reduce heath inequalities and protect our most vulnerable people.
Our smoking cessation services are a key part of that programme, and we have been working hard over many years to help people quit and to stop our young people from starting to smoke.
This grant funding will help create a co-ordinated approach between the Council and its partners and will cover many areas.
Smoking and the effects it has on our communities and our city is not just a matter for Public Health, it is important that we all work together to help give our young people a chance of a happier, healthier, smoke-free life.
The funding will see Coventry work to tackle rogue traders who sell illegal products and target underage smokers; it will help our education work in schools to make children aware of the effects of smoking on themselves and others; and it will help those who smoke to quit the habit.
We look forward to working with partners and residents over the months and years ahead towards the aim of a smoke-free generation and a healthier Coventry for all."
The grant funding will be discussed by members of the Cabinet on 13 February.
If approved, work will then start on developing a programme of services for the coming year.