Bringing our stories to Westminster – how our Campaigns Ambassadors are championing a smokefree UK

‘I campaign for a smokefree UK because…’ – this was the statement that over 75 of our Campaigns Ambassadors rallied around, as they wrote down their reasons for campaigning with Cancer Research UK at Parliament Day last week.  

Campaigns Ambassador, Amy Gray, highlighted why she wants to see a smokefree generation: to prevent more cancers, and protect other families from losing loved ones. 

A big step towards a smokefree UK

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including legislation to raise the age of sale of tobacco to help create a smokefree generation, reached a significant milestone in its parliamentary journey last week: it was passed at its Second Reading by MPs in the House of Commons, with 415 votes for to 47 against.  

We launched the Smokefree UK campaign in 2022 to tackle the biggest cause of cancer – tobacco. The campaign has had two objectives: to Start the Stop, ensuring adequate funding for resources to help people quit, and to Stop the Start, by preventing future generations from ever starting smoking.  

Raising the age of sale in this way could help protect young people from a lifetime of addiction and ill health. It represents the biggest opportunity for the government to prevent cancer in a decade, and at Cancer Research UK, we want to help ensure that this legislation becomes a reality.  

While it’s important that this Bill passed through the Second Reading, there are still many hurdles to face before it can become law. With cancers caused by smoking reaching an all-time high in the UK, at around 160 cases a day, its vital that this legislation is passed and implemented in full across all four nations to help create a smokefree UK.   

Sharing our stories with MPs

To highlight the importance of this legislation to MPs, last week over 75 of our dedicated volunteer Campaigns Ambassadors gathered on the UK Parliament’s doorstep for Cancer Research UK’s Parliament Day. They came with a message: support the Tobacco and Vapes Bill as it passes through Parliament, and champion a smokefree generation.  

Each Ambassador wrote down their reasons on a campaign sign, which were displayed at a parliamentary drop-in on the day of the event. The first thing MPs were greeted with when they entered was a wall of reasons, each one showing more clearly than ever why government action on   tobacco is so important.