Following decades of government action, fewer people in the UK are smoking than ever before, but smoking is still the biggest cause of cancer 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.
Almost 9 in 10 people who smoke report starting smoking before the age of 21.
Preventing young people from starting smoking is key to a smokefree future. That's why raising the age of sale of tobacco has been an important call of our Smokefree UK campaign.
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.
To help people who currently smoke to stop, we've called for public health campaigns and stop smoking services need funding to help people who currently smoke to stop.
The Tobacco and Vapes Act is now law. This world-leading legislation will help create the first ever smokefree generation in the UK, making it so that people born on or after 1 January 2009 will not be legally sold tobacco in their lifetime.
Thanks to the Tobacco and Vapes Act, around 13 million children alive today in the UK will never be able to be legally sold tobacco. Together with campaigners and partners, we’ve championed this legislation. Now, a smokefree generation is on the horizon.
Read more about how we got here
In 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.
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.
