For decades, smoking has wreaked havoc on society, resulting in nearly 400,000 cancer-related deaths in the UK over the last ten years alone. This tragic toll has robbed families of mothers, fathers, and grandparents, leaving a lasting impact on countless lives.

Cigarettes have not only crowded hospital wards but also drained millions from the National Health Service (NHS) and stunted economic growth. However, with the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, there’s a ray of hope. This legislative move signifies a pivotal moment in our battle against smoking, aiming to safeguard future generations from deadly addictions, diseases, and premature deaths.

The issue hits close to home for many, including myself. I think of my 16-year-old son, who, thanks to this groundbreaking law, will never be able to legally purchase tobacco in the UK. This protection extends to his friends, peers, and your children, nieces, and nephews.

Shielding an entire generation from the grips of smoking could save millions from the heartache of cancer diagnoses. This achievement is the result of a long and arduous fight. For nearly 80 years, since Cancer Research UK first established the link between tobacco and cancer, we have been engaged in an ongoing battle against a tobacco industry that consistently prioritized profits over human lives.

An entire generation could be shielded from deadly addiction, helping to prevent millions of people and their loved ones from facing the agony of a cancer diagnosis.

This victory has been hard-won. For nearly 80 years, ever since Cancer Research UK first proved the link between tobacco and cancer, we have battled a tobacco industry which time and time again protected its profits, even as the human cost became undeniable.

This time, public health — not Big Tobacco — has won. And while future generations will be protected, we cannot forget that many people today are still trapped by tobacco addiction.

Around 5.3 million people in the UK currently smoke. They deserve proper, long-term support to quit for good, and the UK Government must not step back from funding smoking cessation support that saves lives.

We cannot undo the heartbreak that tobacco has already caused. But now we’re drawing a line.

If we protect this law, we could set the country on a path to ending the leading cause of cancer in the UK, helping to spare our children from all the suffering that this toxic product brings.

– Michelle Mitchell is chief executive of Cancer Research UK