The first cigarettes on sale in new, standardised packaging have been spotted in Leeds.
New laws which came in to force in May gave manufacturers up to a year to switch to drab green packs, with bigger health warnings, designed to make smoking less appealing to children and young people. Although it was believed stockpiles of old packs would last for some time, just three months in the first packs are starting to be seen in Leeds.
Councillor Rebecca Charlwood, chair of Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board, said:
‘‘We have seen some encouraging signs from Australia since they introduced standardised packs in 2012 with the number of young people who have never smoked rising. I hope, with the sight of the new packs we can also look forward to a similar effect in Leeds – which is great news for the future health of thousands of young people who won’t be tempted to smoke and can be the basis for a smokefree generation.”
Social media is being used to report sightings of the new packaging and add to a ‘Track the Pack Map.’ Anyone spotting a pack can Tweet an image and the location using the hashtag #trackthepack.
It’s an idea from Breathe 2025, Yorkshire and Humber’s collaborative tobacco alliance. To track the packs, visit
www.breathe2025.org.uk/track-the-pack or Tweet to @breathe2025
In Leeds around one in ten 15 year olds smoke, while around one in five adults smoke.
Dr Ian Cameron, Leeds City Council’s Director of Public Health, said:
“If you do smoke, now’s a great time to quit. There’s lots of support available to help you to succeed and information to help on the One You Leeds website. Smoking causes the death of half of those who smoke, so it is a major preventable cause of death and ill health in the city.”
More information on help to stop smoking is available at:
www.oneyouleeds.org.uk/
