MP Questions Minister about

Young People and Smoking

Speaking in the Commons Chamber yesterday Adrian Bailey MP asked the Minister of Sta6te for Health, Gillian Merron MP:

Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West, Labour)

May I associate myself with my hon. Friend the Minister's remarks? Does she agree that the most effective way to reduce the incidence of smoking is to reduce peer group pressure on young people to take up smoking? What assessment has she made of the role of the ban on smoking in public bars and restaurants in achieving that?

To which the Minister responded:

Gillian Merron (Minister of State (Public Health), Department of Health; Lincoln, Labour)

My hon. Friend will know that just this year we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the NHS stop smoking services, which have saved more than 70,000 lives. We know that people are four times as likely to quit with support as without it. The important point that he makes is that two thirds of smokers start before they are 18, and that is why smoke-free legislation and other measures in recent health legislation will contribute to reducing the numbers of new recruits to the tobacco industry.