Please can you help us to protect children from taking up smoking?

[EmJay]

Every year, another 340,000 children in the UK are tempted to try smoking.

50% of those who take up smoking will die of a smoking related illness.

Cigarette packaging is used as mobile advertising by the tobacco industry to make cigarettes more appealing to young people. Help protect our children by signing up to the Plain Packs Protect campaign roycastle.org/news-and-camp...

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer]

I have just signed up, thanks Emjay, nice one gal.

Pete

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

hi emjay, system working mind you its only 5.30am so i have signed up.

very good cause.

[Lenne LONG TERM WINNER]

Signed up, it also sent a letter to my local MP too apparently (pretty swish)!

I started smoking when I was 9 years old and was hooked by 15 and needed 20 a day to get me through (difficult whilst in school admittedly). I can say with all honesty it wasn't the pretty packaging that tempted me, it was rebellion and even if the packs were covered in slime I was so angry with the world I needed to rebel and this is the form it took. Peer pressure is also the other factor, whether or not they care what's on the box I don't know but if it has the horror pictures it probably wouldn't make much difference to the kids in school who think they are "well hard" and "cool".

If it prevents some kids from trying then that would be wonderful though.

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi emjay have signed up, brill idea

[andi22]

Hi Emjay, just signed up.

Most of us started around the age of 13/14 whilst still at school, encouraged by our peers. Not sure if the plain or ugly packaging will make much difference though but if it stops SOME kids from trying then that's all to the good.