Government apologises for ‘offensive’ NHS anti-smoking poster that includes Sikh man
The government have released an apology after launching an ‘offensive’ NHS poster featuring a Sikh man whilst urging the public to quit smoking.
The poster featured a stock image of a Sikh man wearing a turban alongside the phrase: ‘Make 2025 the year you quite smoking’.
It has since been deleted from the NHS website.
The Sikh Code of Conduct, also known as the Rehat Maryada, strictly forbids the use of tobacco as well as opium, liquor or cannabis.
The first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, believed that the consumption of any mind-altering substance – which wasn’t used for medical reasons – would only distract from God.
According to their religious code, Sikhs are not allowed to even go near to such substances – even by mistake.
It is understood that although the advertisement contained NHS branding, it was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care.
The government have released an apology after launching an ‘offensive’ NHS poster urging the public to quite smoking featuring a Sikh man (pictured)
It is understood that although the advertisement contained NHS branding, it was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care
Health Secretary Wes Streeting branded the advertisement ‘inappropriate’ and ‘offensive’ in recent correspondence with Sikh Federation UK seen by Sky News.
The Ilford North MP has said he will look into how the blunder arose so they can put steps in place to ‘make sure similar mistakes aren’t repeated’.
Harwinder Singh from the Sikh Education Council told the publication that he hopes the NHS as well as other factions of the government can learn from such errors.
Mr Singh noted while there are Sikhs who do smoke, using a picture of a turbaned Sikh for the poster creates an association between ‘smoking tobacco and the wider Sikh community specifically’.
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This image was included in our Stop Smoking campaign materials in error and we apologise wholeheartedly for any offence caused.
‘The post was never used on DHSC channels and the image has been deleted and we are putting processes in place to ensure mistakes like this do not happen again.’
