FACT: Over 80% of smokers start before the age of 19.
FACT: Half of all long-term smokers will die of cancer or other smoking-related diseases.
Tobacco advertising has been banned on television, in print and on billboards. Yet children are still regularly exposed to branding on packs and attractive tobacco displays in shops. By removing tobacco from public view and introducing plain packaging, we can reduce the pull towards a potentially deadly addiction.
We know that many young people, particularly underage smokers, buy cigarettes from vending machines. Removing these machines altogether is the only effective means of preventing underage smokers obtaining cigarettes from these sources.
Please join our campaign to help us extinguish tobacco marketing to children.
The UK Government has announced legislation that will protect children from tobacco marketing – this is exciting news, but they could do more.
Email your MP today asking them to support the new restrictions on tobacco displays at the point of sale and push for strong action on cigarette vending machines and plain packaging for cigarettes.
The Scottish Government has introduced legislation to restrict tobacco marketing. They have committed to action on tobacco displays at the point of sale, and to ban cigarette vending machines.
Email your MSP today to make sure there is enough support for the proposals.
If you get a response from your MP or MSP it would be great if you could email it to us or send it by post to the CancerCampaigns Team, Cancer Research UK, FREEPOST WC4066/3, London, WC2A 3BR. Thank you!
For the sake of all children and young people - let’s put tobacco out of sight and out of mind.