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Get Involved - Campaign Letters
What are we calling for and why?
Campaign Letters
These are just examples of the type of letter which could be sent. Please adapt them to include your own experiences and opinion, explaining why the issue is important to you and include relevant local information you know of. Click on the icon to download a Word version of the templates.
Letter in support of EDM 51 The text of the Early Day Motion 51, tabled by Bob Russell MP, reads as follows:
That this House expresses concern that 100,000 people across the UK die each year as a result of smoking; further expresses concern that smoking kills half of its long term users, causes half the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest in our society and that over 80% of smokers start before the age of 19; notes that it takes on average 3 to 8 attempts to stop smoking; and urges the Government to be unrelenting in its efforts to protect children and tackle inequalities through effective tobacco control.--:|:--
Dear [MP]
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on your successful election as MP.
As your constituent I am writing to ask you to support Early Day Motion 51, on Deaths from Smoking, which highlights the continued harm caused by smoking and calls for sustained effort to protect children and to tackle health inequalities through effective tobacco control policies.
More than 100,000 people still die from smoking related illnesses and conditions every year in the UK, more than the next five biggest preventable causes of death combined. Smoking is also the major cause of health inequalities, accounting for half the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest in our society.
It is vital that tobacco control remains a priority for the new parliament, in order to achieve an improvement in public health and reduce preventable deaths and illness, including those caused by secondhand smoked.
I hope you will be able to support EDM 51 and am keen to know what policies you would support in order to protect children from the harm caused by tobacco.
With best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Letter from a member of the public Dear [MP]
Congratulations on your successful election. As your constituent I am writing to ask you to support the laws on tobacco displays passed during the last parliament. Although the Bill passed and received royal assent, it has been suggested that a new vote may be called on the regulations.
The tobacco displays in supermarkets and local shops is an unacceptable promotion of an addictive and deadly product. Our children and adults trying to quit should not have to be bombarded with light and colour shows designed to dazzle and appeal. Tobacco is lethal and it should not be on public display. Despite what the tobacco companies say, nor will the law harm retailers. In Ireland, where a similar law has been in force since July 2009, retailers organisations report that it cost an average of only €300 to adapt their shops and that sales to adults have not been affected.
When smokefree legislation for England was passed, ministers promised a review after three years. That review is now due and it is surely time to see what needs to be done to improve protection from secondhand smoke.
I am keen to know what your views are on these issues and how your party is going to act to protect children from smoking.
Detailed letter to be adapted
Dear [MP]
Tobacco Control Measures in the Health Act 2009
I am writing to urge you congratulate you on your election to Parliament and urge you to support the Health Act 2009 which was passed by parliament and received royal assent as I understand there has been a proposal that regulations on point of sale displays be subject to a new vote. This legislation is a crucial element of an effective tobacco control strategy which will help protect children and reduce health inequalities.
[Paragraph about who you are, smoking among adults and children in your area (e.g. prevalence, quit attempts versus quit targets) and why the PCT/LA/other considers it important (e.g. health inequalities, deaths and illness levels)]
Point of Sale Displays
- There is strong evidence to show that tobacco advertising and promotion encourage children to smoke, which was the justification for the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act (TAPA) 2002.
- Since this Act was passed, cigarette packaging has become the most prevalent remaining form of advertising for tobacco products, and the tobacco industry has spent large amounts of money on point of sale displays.
- Although the tobacco lobby and their front organisations have argued that the ban in Iceland had no effect the data they use is inaccurate. The Public Health Institute of Iceland's survey shows a significant fall in youth smoking during the period the ban was introduced.
- Retail display also encourages 'impulse buying' so undermines smokers attempts to quit. (1)
- The tobacco industry has also claimed that removing point of sale displays would place unacceptable costs on small retailers. However, a survey by the Association of Convenience Stores showed the average cost of compliance in Ireland since their legislation came into force in July 2009 was just €300.
Sale from Vending Machines
- Ending the sale of cigarettes from vending machines would be an important measure to restrict underage sales of cigarettes and tobacco products.
- The DH consultation document noted that 17% of smokers aged 11 to 15 reported that vending machines were a usual source of the cigarettes they smoked.
- The total share of UK tobacco sales from vending machines is less than 1%.
- A survey by the local government regulatory body LACORS, reporting on test purchases carried out by trading standards officers, showed a rise in under age sales in the six months from October 2007 to March 2008.
- In countries where restrictions have been used young people have
Smokefree legislation
- Smokefree legislation has been a great success. It has improved the health of the population and proved extremely popular. According to a recent report from the Royal College of Physicians support has grown to 79% of adults with support growing fastest among smokers. (2)
- When the legislation was introduced ministers promised a review after three years. That review is now due.
- Such a review would offer the opportunity to see if the legislation could be made more effective, including providing scrutiny of the exemptions which currently exist such as for some parts of prisons and for performers.
Yours sincerely
References:
(1) Wakefield M. The effect of retail cigarette pack displays on impulse purchase. Addiction. Nov 2007
(2) Passive smoking among children, Royal College of Physicians, London 2010
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