Demand for action against glitzy cigarette packaging

Local mum Jolene Jenkinson (left) with daughter Lucie (centre) from Rochdale pledges to help future generations by supporting plain cigarette packaging with the help of a member of the plain packaging engagement team Kimberley (right)

Hundreds of parents in the Rochdale borough took action to help protect children from smoking by signing up to support the introduction of plain, standardised cigarette packaging at the weekend.

Throughout the day parents were shown examples of how cigarette brands lure children and young people to start smoking by adopting glamorous and glitzy packaging to make them look like toys, perfume and gadgets.

Local mum Jolene Jenkinson from Rochdale said: "I do think cigarette packets should be changed. It's clearly advertising and it helps bring kids into smoking. I wouldn't want my own kids to start smoking."

Each parent pledged to help future generations by backing the new Plain Packs Protect campaign which calls for plain, standardised tobacco packaging. The campaign aims to de-normalise smoking in society and will feed into a national three month consultation on plain tobacco packaging which the Government launched on 16th April.

The consultation will determine whether there is support for the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products to reduce the number of young people who take up smoking. A new UK plain packaging law would mean the end of eye-catching branding including shiny holograms, pretty pastel colours and novelty wrappers.

Findings from a survey commissioned by ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) revealed that 80 per cent of people would support plain packaging if there was evidence that they are less attractive to children.

Dr Jane Rossini, Director of Public Health at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale said: “UK tobacco companies have been increasingly looking to packaging as a way to engage new customers - most of whom start as children under 18. In public health terms, this policy change would be a landmark event.

“In the Rochdale borough we are committed to driving down the number of young people who take up smoking - removing branded cigarette packaging would be significant in turning off the tap of new young smokers.”

Andrea Crossfield, Director of Tobacco Free Futures - who is leading the Plain Packs Protect campaign in the North West - said: “We must remember that it’s not adults that start smoking it’s children - smoking is a childhood addiction with 83 per cent of smokers and former smokers in the North West trying smoking before they are 14 years old.

"We believe that plain, standardised cigarette packaging will prevent children smoking in the future.

"I urge people to pledge their support at www.tobaccofreefutures.org and help make smoking history for children.”