Last updated at 13:05, Friday, 07 December 2012

Hundreds of Cumbrians have thrown their weight behind a push to ban glitzy cigarette packaging.

Rebecca Wagstaff, front, handing out information with, from left, Zoe Lacey, Kevin Ottoway, Gill Barany and Charlie Grabham

The Plain Packs Protect campaign has seen 766 of the county’s residents sign up to demand the end of glamorous-looking products aimed at young people.

The responses have been sent to the government to inform a consultation on whether plain, standardised tobacco packaging should be enforced throughout the UK.

The proposed law would also cover the cigarettes themselves, meaning an end to the slim fashion cigarettes which aim to appeal to young women. The results of the consultation, which ended in August, are expected early next year.

Rebecca Wagstaff, deputy director of public health for Cumbria said: “The response from the public in Cumbria has been excellent.

“Many of the people who have signed up don’t smoke, but once they see some of the packs that are currently on sale, they understand how they appeal to young people.

“The introduction of plain, standardised packaging would mean a victory for our children’s health and a defeat for the tobacco industry.”

First published at 12:14, Friday, 07 December 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk