Wirral MPs fight against the harm of smoking

Nov 26 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

angela eagle

WIRRAL MPs Angela Eagle and Stephen Hesford have added their support to the 702 people in Wirral who have pressed the government to make smoking history for children and young people.

The Wallasey and Wirral West MPs have also pledged their backing for Smokefree North West’s campaign for a tobacco free future for children and young people in their constituencies and the rest of the region.

Smokefree North West has just released figures highlighting the strength of public support for further measures to protect children.

In the NHS Wirral area, 702 postcards were sent to the Department of Health calling for a long term plan to protect our children and future generations from the harm smoking causes.

Across the whole of the North West region, over 60,000 people responded.

Marie Armitage, director of public health for Wirral, said: “Smoking kills 682 people in Wirral every year but the response from the public and support from Angela Eagle and Stephen Hesford is further evidence that this is a key public concern.

“It is only by tackling the uptake of smoking in young people that we will break the inter-generational cycle of tobacco-related health inequalities we face in the North West.”