Smoking survivors and bereaved families heard from the minister for public health on the government’s plans to create a smokefree country at the inaugural meeting of the recently formed All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Smoking and Health.

The plans include re-introducing the ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ to parliament, which will raise the age of sale annually, ensuring no one born after 2009 will be legally sold tobacco. This is alongside vital measures to curb youth vaping.

Andrew Gwynne, minister for public health and prevention, said, “Prevention will always be better than a cure so we must act now to tackle the country’s biggest killers and build a fairer UK, where everyone lives well for longer.

“The ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ will be the biggest public health intervention since smoking was banned in indoor public spaces. It will tackle the harms of smoking, breaking the cycle of addiction and put us on track to a smokefree UK.”

He added, “This bill will not only save thousands of lives but ease the pressures on the NHS. By building a healthier society, we will help to build a healthy economy.”

The APPG and attendants also heard from the shadow public health minister Ben Spencer, demonstrating continued cross-party support for the policy. He said, “80,000 people die a year from smoking relating illnesses; but that is the tip of the iceberg of the disability and harm that smoking causes people day-in and day-out.

“In one move, the ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ will revolutionise the impact on public health moving forward. Public health is often small, gradual, incremental changes — but this is one of those rare events, a game changer, to have a big impact on public health and the health of our nation.”

Bob Blackman, Conservative MP and co-chair of the APPG, said, “The APPG on Smoking and Health has been instrumental in pushing forward the agenda on tobacco control over the decades. An end to the harms of smoking is in sight with ambitious plans to create a smokefree generation brought forward by the last government, which this government must make good on.

“Smoking takes a huge toll, both personal and economic, on our society and it is fantastic that both ministers are here today to hear, from those who have lived it, about the positive impact that this Bill will make.”

Sue’s story

Sue Mountain, from South Shields, started smoking at age 11. She underwent laser treatment at age 48 after a biopsy revealed she had laryngeal cancer in 2012. The cancer then returned in 2015 and then again in 2017, but she is now cancer free. She made a heartfelt plea in a speech to parliamentarians.

Sue said, “When they first announced the plans around raising the age of sale for the next generation, I thought it was amazing. This just now needs to happen as soon as possible.

“The terrible fact is that every day more children will start to smoke. Unless they quit many will spends tens of thousands of pounds and suffer a disease like cancer or COPD as a direct result. Every day we lose feels like such a waste.

“Our MPs need to make this happen. This is all about a better life for our children and grandchildren – free of waking up needing a cigarette, free of the costs and free of the health risks.”

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