Eastleigh MP Mims Davies has spoken in the House of Commons in favour of the Government’s Tobacco Control plan as part of an important conversation on the coming of smoke-free Britain.
This follows her recent backing of events hosted by the British Lung Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support in the Houses of Parliament, which made clear the long-term effects that smoking can have on peoples’ health.
Highlights of Mims’ speech include:
“Public Health England tells me that since 2014 there are still about 20,000 smokers in Eastleigh.”
“Smoking claims more than 200 lives per day in England. Think of how many lives we are losing from preventable causes.”
“Both my parents died in their early 70s from smoking-related heart issues—both before my 40th birthday, and both before I came to this place. They did not have a chance to see their grandchildren grow up, as happens in many families as a result of smoking.”
“I congratulate the Government on their bold vision for a smoke-free generation and I look forward to further progress. All the lives we can save, and all the resources we can save, are absolutely worth it.”
Mims also took the time to applaud the “British Lung Foundation event highlighting its Breathe Easy campaign”, and the “excellent work of the British Heart Foundation”.
Speaking after the debate, Mims said:
“It is essential that members of the Eastleigh constituency, and indeed, individuals across the country, are given support to quit smoking.”
“I was grateful to join the British Lung Foundation’s recent reception, and to join Macmillan’s coffee morning in Parliament, to discuss the serious impact of illness related to these to charities – and to then have the platform to speak out in the Chamber on the negative effects of smoking that is so entwined with cancer, and lung and heart disease.”
“Most importantly we need to stop our children from picking up this habit to as to achieve a smoke-free generation – which will then do so much to assist our local health services.”