Widnes student attends House of Commons and calls for MPs to change cigarette packaging to protect children

Adan Loughlin, from Widnes, attended the House of Commons (18^th January), to urge MPs to pledge their support and change cigarette packaging to protect children.

The 21 year old spoke about how glitzy cigarette packs are used to lure young smokers with colourful designs and logos to make them look appealing.

The University of Cumbria student, said: “It was really good to have an opportunity to engage with MPs from across the country about why plain packaging is an important step towards helping to prevent young people from starting to smoke.”

Adan has been involved in work to protect young people from tobacco harms for several years with Smoke & Mirrors, a Tobacco Free Futures project.

Derek Twigg, MP for Widnes said: “I’m really pleased to hear that a local person was given the opportunity to share his views with MPs on a subject he feels so passionate about.  Smoking harms so many young people in our communities and it is important that we do as much as we can to keep it at the forefront of people’s minds.”

The meeting was hosted by The British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) – both are urging the government to put all cigarettes in plain packs with no attractive colours. Evidence shows young people find current packaging more attractive and the health warnings have less impact than on plain packs.

At the meeting MPs watched a short film featuring the reactions of young people to current packaging and then plain packs. They also heard that more than a quarter of young smokers mistakenly believe one pack of cigarettes is healthier than another based on the pack design alone. Three quarters of young people think selling cigarettes in plain packs would make it easier for people to smoke less or quit. [1]

The meeting comes in advance of a planned Government consultation on the introduction of plain cigarettes packs, which will become policy in Australia later in 2012.  

Adan first became involved with tackling tobacco in 2010 after hearing about the Smoke & Mirrors project through his local Halton youth club.  Smoke & Mirrors highlights the negative practices of the tobacco industry and encourages young people to look at tobacco harm in a completely new way. 

Andrea Crossfield, Director of Tobacco Free Futures said: “It’s fantastic that Adan has presented at this meeting of MPs and I am sure his words will support our message that plain packaging will help make smoking history for children.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

[1] From a BHF commissioned online OnePoll survey of 2,771 16-25 year olds conducted between October 21 and November 23, 2011.

The Government is due to launch a public consultation by spring 2012 on whether the UK should adopt plain packaging for tobacco products. The charities want the UK to follow Australia’s lead where plain tobacco packs will be mandatory from December 2012.

2. The BHF report The Plain Truth: How Tobacco Plain Packaging Will Save Lives can be found at http://www.bhf.org.uk/publications/publications-search-results.aspx?m=simple&q=the+plain+truth

3. Smoke & Mirrors is a project of Tobacco Free Futures (formerly Smokefree North West) which highlights the negative practices of the tobacco industry and encourages young people to look at tobacco harm in a completely new way. 

4. Tobacco Free Futures is a collaborative programme which works in diverse and innovate ways to make smoking history for children.  Tobacco Free Futures has achieved a great deal locally, regionally and nationally, in reducing smoking prevalence rates and protecting children and adults from tobacco harm. www.tobaccofreefutures.org