Previous Campaigns

Smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces has been illegal in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since 2007 and in Scotland since 2006. This has resulted in significant improvements in public health, particularly for children and led to changes in behaviour and attitudes towards smoking.

After the ban on tobacco advertising in the UK in 2003, tobacco companies became increasingly reliant on displays at the point of sale to draw attention to their products and stimulate sales. Evidence shows that children are more likely to smoke if they are exposed to in-store tobacco marketing.

Members of the Smokefree Action Coalition played an active role in bringing about standardised packaging for tobacco products. The legislation was approved in March 2016 with the regulations coming into force in May 2016, before being fully implemented in May 2017.

The ban on smoking in cars where children are present came into effect on 1st October 2015. It is part of the Children and Families Act 2014 which also made it an offence for an adult to buy cigarettes for anyone under the age of 18. The SFAC supported the legislation and produced a party conference briefing setting out the key arguments for MPs.