Advocacy for a smokefree future

Tobacco is our biggest killer, the single largest cause of health inequality between rich and poor and costs the North East over £2.35 billion a year in health, social care and costs to the economy.

Our aim is to build understanding of the harm of tobacco to society and to the region and call for action to reduce smoking, and reflect the voices of people affected.Fresh is a core member of the Smoke Free Action Coalition (SFAC).

Fresh is now supporting Government proposals to “stop the start of new smokers” and create a smokefree generation. This would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. In effect, the law would stop children turning 15 or younger in 2024 from ever legally being sold tobacco products – raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population. 

73% of people in the North East support the proposals to raise the age of sale by a year each year. Read more about the campaign for a smokefree generation.

The North East also has a Declaration for a Smokefree Future which was launched at a Leadership for a Smokefree Future conference on 27th September 2023 – read more

North East Directors of Public Health support a smokefree generation

3/4 of North East adults would like to see raising the age of sale for a smokefree generation

Among the measure Fresh is campaigning for are:

  • A “polluter pays” levy on tobacco manufacturers towards prevention and support for smokers to quit
  • More funding for mass media campaigns to support smokers to quit
  • Raising the age of sale for tobacco products by one year every year
  • Support for smokers to quit wherever they need it
  • Reducing the appeal of cigarette sticks and more quitting information inside packs
  • A new Tobacco Control Plan which includes measures to reduce the death and disease caused by smoking.

North East Declaration for a Smokefree Future

Smoking has a negative impact on our region’s health, wealth, happiness and wider economy.

The region has suffered for too many years from the harms of tobacco smoking with thousands of local people prematurely dying from avoidable smoking related illnesses driven by global tobacco companies with a pursuit for profit.

We believe it is unacceptable that at least one in every two long term smokers will die from smoking and for each person who dies, there are 30 people suffering from a smoking related illness. It is wrong that tobacco related harm is costing our region at least £2.3 billion each year due to the impact on health care, social care, fires and our businesses.

Our public agree with us. They don’t want this to continue happening.

We have ensured that reducing smoking rates has been a key priority for both local government and the NHS over many years and with the support from Fresh our dedicated regional tobacco control programme we are proud that our region has achieved the biggest overall drop in adult smoking rates since 2005.

We however recognise that there is much more to be done and continued system wide efforts and focus must be given to reducing smoking across all groups noting that higher smoking prevalence is associated with almost every indicator of deprivation or marginalisation.

We commit that we will strive to achieve our regional ambition to reduce overall rates to 5% or less by 2030 but ultimately we believe that to achieve our Better Health and Wellbeing For All Plan we need to be bold and ambitious.
Our final aim is that tobacco smoking will and should become obsolete- a thing of the past- and with no future generations taking it up.

This will require our region advocating for effective national action that supports our regional and local focus.

We know we have the support from the public who do not want any future generation to suffer from tobacco related harm.

A smokefree future, free of the death and disease from tobacco, is needed, wanted and workable. This would improve the health and wealth of our region’s most disadvantaged communities more than any other measure”.

27th September 2023

There is strong support in the NE to make smoking history for future generations.

  • 8/10 of adults in the North East support the principle of creating a smokefree generation
  • Less than 1 in 10 think the Government is doing too much to reduce smoking
  • 8/10 adults in the North East support current government action to limit smoking or think the government should do more

(Figures ASH Smokefree Survey 2024 Public opinions in the North East)

Young smokers in the North East reveal how they got hooked and worries about health as calls mount around the country for raising the age of sale and more action around prevention.

How the pivotal smokefree law of 2007 made a difference to people’s lives:

If you would like to get more involved in calling for change, we would like to hear from you. Whether you have been affected by smoking personally or through your work, find out how you can help.

Email us.

Fresh is a core member of the Smokefree Action Coalition. We are supporting calls for the government to commit to a “Smokefree 2030” and reduce smoking down to 5% or less.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (June 2021) published recommendations for measures needed for a Smokefree England by 2030. The report calls for further regulations including increased funding levied from the tobacco industry on a “polluter pays” principle.

The Khan Review: Making Smoking Obsolete (June 2022) is an independent review commissioned by the UK Government and conducted by Javed Khan OBE. It sets out recommendations on how the Government’s ambition to reduce the national smoking rate to less than 5% by 2030 can be achieved.