One in 10 city mums-to-be are smokers, figures show

Revelation as officials back plan to be 'smoke-free' in 5 years

- Phil Corrigan Local Democracy Reporter

NEW plans have been drawn up to make Stoke-on-Trent 'smoke-free' within five years.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's new tobacco control strategy aims to reduce smoking in the Potteries to five per cent by 2030, in line with a national target.

Current figures show 13 per cent of adults in Stoke-on-Trent smoke, and on the current trajectory this is not expected to fall to five per cent - the level defined as 'smoke-free' - by 2034. But public health officials believe it is important to retain the 'ambitious objective' of the 2030 deadline.

Stoke-on-Trent's health and wellbeing board agreed to support the new strategy on Thursday.

Under the strategy, stop smoking services will be targeted at groups such as people in manual occupations, those living in social housing, people with mental health conditions and pregnant women.

Director of public health Stephen Gunther told the board reducing smoking would help tackle health inequalities in the city.