7:40AM, Tue Apr 17, 2012

FRESH: Anti-Smoking Charity Reports North East Support For Standardised Cigarette Packaging

By Joe Daunt Location: Tyne and Wear

Video: What do you think about branded cigarette packaging?

Anti-smoking campaign group FRESH says it has has found strong support in the North East for standardised cigarette packaging.

Adults in the North East were shown an image of a plain standardised pack with 66 per cent saying they support plans to remove branding and designs from cigarette packaging.

The average age that people in the North East take up smoking is 15 years old, with some starting as young as nine.

Ailsa Rutter, director of FRESH, said: "This is another vital measure to take in our journey to help make smoking history for children.

"Smoking is an addiction that starts in childhood and it is not surprising when you see the number of colourful, attractive tobacco products being offered on the shelves – with packaging that looks like make up and MP3 players.

Dr Chris Stenton, Consultant Respiratory Physician with Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust, based at the RVI, said: "We need to do all we can to protect children from becoming addicted to cigarettes.

"Glamorous packaging is used by tobacco companies to make smoking appear grown-up, sexy and exciting.

"It lures children into addiction and a lifetime of health problems. It robs them of 10 years of their life."

Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest which runs the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, said: "We support reasonable measures to reduce underage smoking but standard packaging is not reasonable.

"The aim is to denormalise a legal product and stigmatise the consumer.

"There is no good evidence that children are encouraged to smoke by the colour of the packaging. Most children start smoking because of peer pressure and the influence of family members. Plain packs will do nothing to change that.

"Plain packaging could make it easier for counterfeiters and other illicit traders. Criminal gangs don't care who they sell to so this measure could make things worse, not better."