Key measures

We urgently need more funding for tobacco control and stop smoking services. Instead of asking the taxpayer to foot the bill, the Government should raise the funding needed from the tobacco companies who continue to make record profits selling a deadly addiction. A ‘polluter pays’ levy on the tobacco manufacturers combined with a cap on tobacco prices could raise up to £700 million a year to pay for a smokefree future.

We need to stop the next generation becoming addicted to smoking. Around 2 in 3 children who try a cigarette will go on to be lifelong smokers, only half of whom will manage to quit. This is why we are supporting the Prime Minister’s proposal to raise the age of sale by one year every year from 2027. This is in addition to simple measures like adding health warnings to individual cigarettes and closing loopholes in the ban on flavoured tobacco products.

We need to support existing smokers to quit smoking and stay smokefree for good. Most smokers want to quit and many more regret ever having started. This means motivating smokers to quit through mass media campaigns like Stoptober, and reaching smokers in the most disadvantaged, high-smoking prevalence groups with tailored support.