‘Enough is enough,’ say North East campaigners

Health campaigners in the North East have praised the prime minister’s aim of creating a smokefree country for future generations.

In the North East, 73% of adults support the proposals to raise the age of sale by a year each year and the policy also enjoys cross party support.

Over 50 organisations from the North East submitted responses in a consultation in 2023

– from fire and rescue, local authorities and NHS Trusts to the Association of Directors of Public Health North East and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

Raising the age of sale from 2027 will come into force once the Bill is passed as will new fixed penalty fines of £100 for anyone selling cigarettes or vapes to children. Children or young people cannot be fined.

Ailsa Rutter, director of North East-based tobacco and alcohol campaign group Fresh and Balance, said: “Tobacco addiction usually starts when people are children so it completely deprives people of any choice. Most smokers also regret ever starting and most try to stop many times. It is not a free choice when you are addicted.

“This is not about depriving adult smokers who don’t want to stop. It is about giving our next generation a life free of a cancer-causing addiction which costs tens of thousands of pounds over a lifetime.”

Former smoker Sue Mountain from South Tyneside has undergone treatment three times for laryngeal cancer as a result of smoking.

She said: “This is a momentous step to stop more people getting cancer in the future. The main thing is that MPs agree enough is enough.

“I started smoking as a kid, before I realised how addictive it was. Nobody who starts smoking young ever thinks they’ll smoke for life. It might not prevent everyone starting to smoke, but it will stop a lot of people and save them from dying needlessly early."