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In the past year, there has been much debate over the government's role in public health issues such as smoking and obesity.
Is government intervention in these areas an example of 'nanny statism' – an unnecessary intrusion into people's lives? Or is it a form of 'stewardship' – part of government's responsibility to protect national health?
This paper looks at the options open to governments that want to influence individual and collective behaviour to reduce health risks. It also examines historical and contemporary evidence on the impact of state intervention on public health.
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From evidence to impact: making prevention stick
The UK’s health is in trouble, and it’s holding us back. Prevention can help – but is often sidelined when pressure mounts. Join us to explore how to keep progress going when the system ...
Inside Number 10: the politics behind the smoking ban
What does it take to pass transformative public health measures like the smoking ban? Bill Morgan, former government health adviser, shares five lessons from inside Number 10.
How the generational smoking ban came to pass
Deborah Arnott reflects on how a long‑shot proposal to create a tobacco‑free generation moved from scepticism to cross‑party support and became law.
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Health inequalities in a nutshell
Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people. Here we examine the key data on this complex and wide-ranging issue.