South West Leaders Unite: 15 councils urge immediate passage of historic tobacco bill

In a powerful demonstration of regional collaboration, the Council Leaders and Directors of Public Health from every local authority in the South West have united to demand the immediate passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Representing a population of over five million people, the coalition warns that any delay to the legislation will cost lives and signal to the public that “preventable death is still being tolerated”.

The joint letter, sent to the Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton MP, urges the Government to resist any amendments that would weaken the Bill and to ensure it receives Royal Assent before the parliamentary session ends.

The intervention highlights the devastating scale of the tobacco epidemic in the region. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the South West, claiming over 6,500 lives annually – equivalent to more than 17 deaths every single day.

Despite progress in reducing prevalence, over 520,000 adults in the South West still smoke, with rates remaining stubbornly high in the region’s most deprived communities.

Benji Hadwell, South West Smokefree Lead, said:

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the harms of tobacco for good. We cannot view this Bill solely as a long-term measure for 2027; its immediate passage is a vital signal that the era of commercial tobacco is ending.

“The leaders responsible for the well-being of the South West are united. We see the heartbreak of families losing loved ones and the heavy burden placed on our NHS. We are calling on Parliament to pass this Bill swiftly and decisively, and to ensure that the key measures are not diluted by damaging amendments.”

The letter highlights that the region is firmly behind the ‘Smokefree Generation’ policy, which would ensure no child born on or after 1 January 2009 can ever legally be sold tobacco. Polling from Action on Smoking and Health shows that 7 in 10 adults in the South West support the policy, with over 9 in 10 supporting bans on smoking in children’s play areas and school grounds.

However, the signatories warn that public confidence is at risk, noting that around half of adults in the region currently feel the Government is not doing enough to limit smoking.

The signatories, including the Leaders and Directors of Public Health from Bath & North East Somerset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Torbay, and Wiltshire, have called on the Government to “resist compromise” and oppose any attempts to delay or dilute the Bill.

Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Public Health, Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, said:

“Every day that action is delayed risks more young people being harmed. We are calling on the Government and our local MPs to put children’s health first and act decisively to protect the next generation.”