‘Labour will be the Government that finally ended smoking. Reform would protect the tobacco industry not kids’

Labour has promised change and this week we have delivered a huge win for public health. The world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Act is now officially law. From the 1st January next year phasing out of the sale of tobacco to future generations will begin. It is seismic and will be a legacy we can draw on for decades – much as the 2007 ban on smoking in public places has been a touchstone for public health success.  

As Co-Chair for the APPG on Smoking and Health I have long campaigned for a future where people are free from the harms of smoking. That future is now in sight and this Government will be remembered for ending smoking in this country. 

Tobacco is a commercial product, sold for profit. It is addictive and lethal, killing up to two thirds of long-term users when used exactly as intended. Those who sell it continue to make billions of pounds in profit every year whilst costing our healthcare system greatly. They pretend to want a smokefree future too, but it’s all smoke and mirrors PR. 

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The Tobacco and Vapes Act has been backed across the political spectrum and voted for by politicians of all stripes on its (two!) journeys through Parliament. 

However, there is one party that stands apart. Nigel Farage has pinned his colours to the mast and claimed Reform will repeal the legislation if he becomes Prime Minister. 

I remain sceptical as to whether a Reform Government would actually remove a popular piece of legislation designed to protect children and future generations from the most harmful product ever. Gesture politics is the name of the game for Reform and my guess is that he hasn’t really looked at the legislation itself or the polling that shows that the public is absolutely behind the Government here. If he does, he will no doubt change his tune. 

A whopping 68% public support the smokefree generation according to polling from Action on Smoking and Health conducted by YouGov. And an analysis of Reform voters, conducted by Public First, the IPPR and public health charities showed that, amongst Reform voters, 60% are supportive.

The leadership of the party are completely out of touch with the reality of real people, who don’t think that it is ‘nanny state’ to protect the public’s health from commercial interests. In fact, 85% of Reform voters see smoking as a major driver of NHS pressure and only 26% of voters saw ‘limiting personal choice’ as a risk of public health measures. Everyone wants action on tobacco and for their friends and family to live longer, healthier lives. 

The new Act doesn’t just tackle smoking. It makes sure that young people are not hooked onto nicotine products, like vapes.  It creates a licensing scheme that will allow us to take control of our high streets and have a say about the number of vape shops opening. It gives the Government powers to remove marketing and point of sale displays for nicotine products that are splattered all over our high streets. Anyone working in an MPs office will know that we get huge amounts of correspondence about all of these problems. 

All of this is supported by responsible retailers, enforcement teams, public health professionals and voters. It is clear, the only people who don’t support it are the tobacco industry and the gesture politicians who think having a cig and a pint down the pub make them “one of the people”. I’ve yet to meet a single person who would be happy if their child grew up to smoke (or vape!). The vast majority of smokers want to quit, with three quarters of smokers saying if they could go back in time they never would have started. 

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Posturing from Farage aside there is one serious risk that comes with the Tobacco and Vapes Act coming into force. That is, that action on smoking is viewed as ‘job done’. We cannot, and must not, forget the 5.3 million smokers who need to be given a chance to join us in a smokefree future. 

Smokers still make up about 11% of the population and research shows that one in five (21.7%) people in the most deprived areas smoke, compared to 6.2% in the least deprived. This is a health inequalities issue and we cannot allow certain communities to be left behind. 

Labour has an opportunity now to accelerate quitting with a bold vision that matches the ambition of the smokefree generation to make sure that every smoker who wants to quit, is given a chance. 

The APPG on Smoking and Health has set out a clear Roadmap for how this Government could see two million fewer smokers in this Parliament. We should be looking at areas like my patch, in the North East, where the regional smoking cessation programme, Fresh, has brought smoking rates down to record lows for inspiration on how to do that. 

The smokefree generation is historic and something that this Labour Government will be remembered and celebrated for.  The evidence is clear, we do not have to choose between health or wealth, doing the right thing or winning votes. 

When it comes to tobacco the public cannot be fooled. They know that it is bad for smokers and their families, bad for the NHS and bad for the economy. The only people tobacco is good for is the manufacturers who rake in billions each year. With this Act, royal assent may be the final formality – but for the industries it targets, it marks the beginning of the end.

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