Holding Us Back: tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink

This report calls for a coherent and strategic approach to rebalancing the profit-making powers of industries with the rights of people to live free, healthy and productive lives. Tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink are leading causes of ill health and early death. We are exposed to these products daily where we live, work, learn and socialise. This is holding us back from building a society that is healthier, happier, and more productive. The public supports action to reduce harm from these products. There has been a failure to fully regulate these health-harming products in line with the damage they cause. Health-harming industries work hard to influence public policy to protect their profits, limiting the potential for appropriate regulatory measures. For people to lead healthier lives, we need the Government to build on the progress made on tobacco and further regulate harmful products in a way that is proportionate to their impacts on health and society. Co-published by Obesity Health Alliance, Alcohol Health Alliance and Action on Smoking and Health.