Following decades of government action, fewer people in the UK are smoking than ever before, but smoking is still the biggest cause of cancer and death in the UK. Not long ago the UK had smoke-filled pubs and workplaces, tobacco advertising and branded packs. Smoking rates have come down with government action in the past and government action will be essential for rates to continue coming down in the future. That’s why we launched our Smokefree UK campaign in July 2022.
With the help of supporters from across the UK, we’ve campaigned for more funding to help people quit smoking – and won – with the previous UK Government more than doubling the funding for local stop smoking services in England. We’ll need to make sure that this funding is adequate, sustainable, and secured for as long as it takes to achieve a smokefree UK. But now, we want to help prevent future generations from ever becoming addicted to tobacco in the first place.
Preventing young people from starting smoking is key to ending cancers caused by smoking. That's why ‘stopping the start’ by raising the age of sale of tobacco has been an important call of our Smokefree UK campaign.
In May, the snap general election brought a disappointing halt to legislation which would raise the age of sale to help create the first ever smokefree generation. That’s why we were thrilled when the new UK Government reintroduced this legislation to Parliament on 5 November, through a new Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
If implemented, this legislation would ensure that people born on or after 1 January 2009 would not legally be able to be sold tobacco in their lifetime. This would be achieved by progressively raising the legal age of sale of tobacco by one year every year. It wouldn’t prevent anyone born before that date, including people who can already legally smoke, from being sold tobacco in future.
There is no safe way to use tobacco, and all tobacco products can cause cancer. That’s why it’s important that the legislation applies to all types of tobacco products.
We support this legislation and it is critical to our shared ambition to help prevent 20,000 cancer deaths a year by 2040. Now, we want to make sure that it is passed in UK Parliament and implemented effectively and swiftly, in all four nations of the UK.
Learn more about the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Nothing would have a bigger impact on reducing the number of preventable deaths in the UK than ending smoking. That’s why, during the 2024 general election, as one of our five pledges for longer, better lives, we called on all political parties to commit to help end cancers caused by smoking, including by raising the age of sale of tobacco, with over 21,000 campaigners signing an open letter asking party leaders to back our calls.
We know that the UK public, and politicians from across the political spectrum strongly support raising the age of sale of tobacco to help create a smokefree generation – a long-term decision, for longer, better lives. This is one of the biggest opportunities we have had to prevent cancer in over a decade. Let's make history, together.
Want to help?
Join the Smokefree UK campaignIn 2023, nearly 14,000 campaigners signed our petition to former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, asking him to provide more funding to help people quit smoking. In the autumn of that year, we handed in this petition to 10 Downing Street.
Just a month later, Rishi Sunak’s Government announced that it would increase funding for the measures and services that help people quit smoking. This nearly doubled the funding available for local stop smoking services to support a total of around 360,000 people a year to quit smoking. Additional funding was also given to stop smoking campaigns that help encourage people who smoke to quit and signpost them to support available. This was a big win for the Smokefree UK campaign.
Almost 9 in 10 people who smoke report starting smoking before the age of 21.
We support the UK Government’s proposed legislation to progressively raise the age of sale of tobacco by one year every year to help create a smokefree generation. If implemented, this policy could prevent future generations from ever taking up smoking – the biggest cause of cancer in the UK.
Protecting people from starting smoking is not enough on its own. Most people who smoke have tried to quit, but smoking is an addiction, and they need support to do so. That’s why public health campaigns and stop smoking services need funding to help people who currently smoke to stop.
We will continue to ensure that funding for these measures and services is sufficient, sustainable and goes to the places that need it the most across the country.
Using evidence to drive change, improve cancer outcomes and help life-saving science and research to thrive.
In March 2015, MPs voted in favour of plain, standard cigarette packs. This was a huge victory for public health, giving millions of children one less reason to start smoking.
Before plain, standard cigarette packs were introduced, we successfully campaigned to cover up tobacco displays in shops and remove tobacco vending machines.
We successfully campaigned for an end to smoking in workplaces and enclosed public spaces in the UK.
A new study that we funded, published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, has revealed that more than 127,000 18–25-year-olds start smoking tobacco regularly each year in the UK – that’s around 350 per day.
On 26 November, MPs voted in favour of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at its Second Reading, marking an exciting day for our Smokefree UK campaign.
Michelle Mitchell, our Chief Executive Officer, shares her thoughts about the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and its importance.
