Bardney man backs tobacco law

If passed by MPs, it would raise the legal age of sale of tobacco products in England by one year every year, meaning anyone born on or after January 1st, 2009, will never be able to legally be sold cigarettes.

As the legislation – introduced to Parliament on 20 March – now heads towards a crucial vote later this spring, the charity has released the staggering figure to urge the region’s MPs to make history by helping to create the first smoke-free generation.

Between now and 2040, around the time the first of these youngsters will turn 30, the number of cigarettes that would go unsmoked across the UK would add up to tens of billions.

That’s if the Government’s best-case modelling of a 90% reduction in rates of young people across England taking up smoking is achieved.

This could have a profound impact in the East of England where tobacco kills one person every 50 minutes and is responsible for around 4,900 cancer deaths each year.

The legislation has been welcomed by Bardney dad-of-two, Nigel Burley, 68, who has been campaigning for the Government to do more to help stub out smoking.

He understands the terrible toll of tobacco all too well after losing his wife, Kim, to cancer of the ureter in 2022. Kim smoked for more than three decades after starting as a teenager. She was 58-years-old when she died.

Nigel, dad to Sophie, 37, and Yasmin, 32, said: “Kim’s first cancer diagnosis came after she spotted blood in her urine and she was diagnosed with cancer of the ureter. This was removed along with her right kidney.” He said that her surgeon told her smoking could have caused the cancer, even though Kim had stopped seven years before.

Kim underwent chemotherapy between September 2018 and early 2019. But in July 2019, a routine cystoscopy found four tumours in Kim’s bladder. Various treatments were tried and considered, including immunotherapy. She was due to undergo radiotherapy in May 2022, but by then, Kim’s health was failing. She died five weeks later.

Nigel said: “Smoking is a deadly addiction and, like my wife, most people who smoke started when they were young and have tried to quit. I know she would have backed raising the age of sale of tobacco 100 per cent.

"Kim was a lively, vibrant and strong-willed lady, who would be all for urging people to email their MP on this crucial vote. To think that young people could be prevented from accessing tobacco products, that generations to come could be spared from similar heartache, is incredible.

“The upcoming vote is a critical milestone towards ending the devastating effects of smoking. Victory is almost in sight, but for the sake of our children’s and grandchildren’s future, we cannot leave it to chance. Now, we must do everything we can to make sure MPs get this over the line.”

Nigel is calling on the public to email their MP and encourage them to vote in favour of the legislation at cruk.org/SmokefreeGeneration.

Tobacco is the one legal consumer product that will kill most of its users if used as instructed by the manufacturer. It causes at least 15 different types of cancer, including two of the most common, lung and bowel cancer.  

While Cancer Research UK’s latest analysis focuses on cigarettes, all products that contain tobacco are harmful and increase cancer risk, so it has welcomed the Government’s announcement that the legislation will apply to all tobacco products – including heated tobacco devices.

The charity’s East of England spokesperson, Shelley Baxter, said: “The biggest cause of cancer has no place in our future. As our analysis suggests, fast-forward to 2040, and the statistics could tell a very different story. Up to 910,000 fewer cigarettes smoked each day in the region would mean more people living longer, healthier lives, free from the fear of cancer.

“Nothing would have a bigger impact on reducing the number of preventable deaths in the East of England than ending smoking. So, we must make sure our MPs are behind this critically important Age of Sale legislation. Together, we can make a smokefree generation a reality.”

Evidence shows that smoking rates go down with government action and its thanks to this that smoke-filled pubs and workplaces, tobacco advertising and branded packs have been consigned to the past.

Cancer Research UK says Age of Sale legislation is a vital next step on the journey to a smokefree UK and would create a lasting legacy for its young people that the nation can be proud of.

Play a part at cruk.org/SmokefreeGeneration