On February 10th, 2013, it was six months since the UK government consultation on standard packs finished but a decision is still to be announced. Help by emailing your MP, calling for their support for standard packs and asking them to write to the Secretary of State for Health and the Prime Minister to ask for legislation in the Queen’s speech in May. You can view pledges of support to standardised pack from leading UK health organistions here.   Example of what plain packs could look like compared to current packs. The clock ticks Every day 570 children become smokers in the UK. That's since the consultation on standard packs closed. Tell the Government to act. Email your MP     Key points to make in your email Help make smoking history for our children. Put cigarettes in standard packs and stop the pack being used to promote the product. Needed • Smoking is a childhood addiction not an adult choice1 • More than 200,000 children start smoking each year2 • Half all lifelong smokers die from their addiction – that’s over 100,000 people last year in the UK3 • Cigarette packs are attractive and misleading, especially to children4,5 Wanted • The public support plain, standard packaging6 • The public health community support plain standard packaging7 • There is cross party support at Westminster for standard packs8. Workable • Standard packs are cheap and easy to implement9 • Australia already has standard packs. Retailers have found it easy to implement10 and there is no evidence it will increase smuggling11.   Press releases and letters - Press release, 02 May 2013 - letter to the Prime Minister, 2 May 2013 - Media advisory: Has the Government Caved in to Tobacco Lobbying? - Press release, 08 May 2013 - letter to the Prime Minister, 08 May 2013 - letter to the Deputy Prime Minister, 08 May 2013 - letter to the Health Secretary, 08 May 2013 Further reading - Standard packs: separating fact from fiction - Protecting children from tobacco marketing - Current cigarette pack designs v standard packs - ASH Briefing on Standard Packaging - Economic impact on the industry

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