Nearly Two Thirds of People in Wales Support Raising the Age of Sale – November 2023

Latest evidence · September 2026

This article reflects proposals and polling from 2023. For the current Wales law and implementation timetable, see our current law guide. For the latest approved public-attitudes findings, see our 2026 report.

Almost two thirds of people in Wales back raising the age of sale to create a smoke-free generation.

Plans to phase out tobacco smoking for the next generation are overwhelmingly supported by the people of Wales, new data reveals today.  

More than 6 in 10 adults in Wales say they back proposed new laws which would in effect impose a lifetime ban on young people ever smoking.  

The planned legislation, announced in the King’s Speech this autumn, would mean anyone born after 1st January 2009 would never legally be sold cigarettes.

[VIDEO] – ASH Wales Head of Policy, Louise Elliott, talking with ITV News about the benefits of raising the age of sale for tobacco products in Wales.

With one week to go until a public consultation on the measures closes, polling by the health charity ASH Wales, today shows that 62% of people in Wales, support the measure. Only 15% oppose the idea.  

Research previously carried out by ASH Wales has already shown that:  

  • 13% of adults in Wales smoke, with those living in our most deprived communities more than twice as likely to smoke than those in our most affluent areas
  • 77% of people who smoke say they had their first cigarette when they were under 18, and the vast majority of them wish they’d never started
  • 53% of people who smoke in Wales say want to quit at some point 

Chief Executive of ASH Wales, Suzanne Cass said: “No other consumer product comes with the devastating harms of tobacco and smoking kills two in three of its long term users.  

“More than five and a half thousand people in Wales die every year from smoking and tobacco costs the Welsh NHS more than £300m a year – none of this will change without bold action.” 

No young person will be criminalised by this measure. This legislation will simply extend the existing legal obligation not to sell tobacco to those who are underage. It will increase the age for sale by one year, every year, from 2027. 

Dr Hilary Williams, vice president for Wales at the Royal College of Physicians said:  

‘We welcome these plans and strongly support legislation to phase out tobacco sales. Smoking is still the main cause of premature death in Wales, killing thousands of people every year, and it’s increasingly important that we face up to the impact of avoidable tobacco-related illness. If you smoke, your risk of becoming seriously ill with many major health conditions is far higher; I am a consultant oncologist and see in my patients the devastating impact of lung cancer.  Most people who smoke wish they had never started in the first place – these changes will protect more young people from avoidable illness and early death.’ 

Welsh Government cannot raise the age on the sale of tobacco without the UK Government passing this legislation. 

Suzanne added: “Public opinion and debate has driven governments to do the right thing before and it can happen again.  

 “It’s not often we see such overwhelming public support for government policy and we urge Welsh MPs to listen to their constituents and use their vote to protect the health of future generations.” 

 

ASH Wales / YouGov poll:  

Regional Breakdown: 

Question: The UK Government has announced legislation to raise the age of sale for tobacco for those born in 2009 or later by one year, every year, so it will never be legal to sell them tobacco. To what extent, if at all, would you support or oppose. 

Mid and west Wales: 

  • 62% support
  • 11% oppose 

North Wales: 

  • 63% support
  • 15% oppose 

Cardiff and south central Wales: 

  • 63% support
  • 15% oppose

South east Wales: 

  • 58% support
  • 17% oppose

South west Wales: 

  • 63% support
  • 18% oppose

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov plc. Total sample size was 1.024 adults. 

Fieldwork was undertaken between 15 – 20th November 2023. 

The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in Wales (aged 18+) 

For further information, please contact Louise Elliott, Head of Policy, ASH Wales 

Louise.Elliott@ashwales.org 

07496259220

Plastic Overshoot Day: World exceeds amount of plastic pollution it can manage on 28th July 2023

On 28th July 2023, the amount of plastic waste outweighs the world’s ability to manage it. This day has arrived at a time with many environmental disasters occurring across the globe and fingers are partially pointed to our polluted waste.

The result of this day is due to significant amounts of plastic winding up in our environment every year. 43% of plastic produced and used is mismanaged as waste, meaning 68,642,999 tons of additional plastic waste will end up in nature this year[1]. According to Greenpeace[2], a truckload of plastic enters the ocean every single minute. Bottles, tubs and food trays are some of the more obvious items we may think of, but there are other items we may not think about.

Every year around 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded globally, making them the most littered item on earth[3]. Cigarette butts are made with single-use plastic and can take over a decade to breakdown, they become microplastics ending up in our environment becoming a danger to our oceans and animals. Further to their plastic pollution, cigarettes leach toxins into our waterways, beaches and streets and are a danger to pets and children who may pick them up.

Yet cigarette butts remain unseen in the latest Environmental Protection (Single Use Plastic Products) Act in Wales[4]. ASH Wales firmly support action on single use plastics to reduce risk of environmental crisis and damage to nature, but strongly encourage that cigarettes be included with action to protect our Welsh landscapes.

In the interest of protecting Welsh landscapes, ASH Wales continue to create Smokefree spaces to not only reduce litter and pollution but to de-normalise smoking in the eyes of children and young people. Smokefree Beaches has become an interest of many and the organisation look forward to more local authorities in Wales joining the campaign and creating a cleaner and smokefree coastline. To read more about the campaign, visit the campaign page here.

 

[1] https://plasticovershoot.earth

[2] https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/plastic-pollution/

[3] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/cigarettes-story-of-plastic

[4] https://www.gov.wales/environmental-protection-single-use-plastic-products-wales-act

 

Tobacco Tax Rise Set to Reduce Youth Smoking in Wales

Smokers are to pay nearly £1 more for cigarettes as the UK Government rises tobacco duty tax in the UK. According to the health charity ASH Wales, the rise is likely to price cigarettes out of the reach of young people in Wales.

Earlier this month the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt released the Spring Budget which raised tobacco tax to 2% above inflation (RPI). The rise will mean a packet of 20 cigarettes will increase by 95 pence, taking average prices to more than £14 a packet.

The move has been welcomed by the tobacco control charity ASH Wales, who mark that raising prices is one of the most effective ways of reducing smoking rates, especially amongst young people. In Wales, 9% of 15-16 year olds smoke on a regular basis, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for a decade.

The price increase is welcomed by ASH Wales after recent research by the University of Essex found increased tobacco tax is effective at reducing smoking rates in those aged 25 and younger.

The research suggests those in younger age groups are more sensitive to price changes, which means a rise in price often translates to lower youth consumption of cigarettes.

According to ASH Wales smoking is an addiction of childhood. According to the charity’s latest YouGov survey, the majority of adults in Wales (77%) had their first cigarettes under the age of 18.

The charity marks that public support to protect youth health is strong in Wales, as 73% of Welsh adults are in favour of Government action to limit youth smoking.

ASH Cymru CEO, Suzanne Cass, said: “Smoking is such a deadly addiction we need to do everything we can to keep these tobacco products out of the hands of children. With more than 6,000 children taking up smoking every year in Wales, clearly there is still work to be done.

“Pricing tobacco products out of the reach of young people makes tobacco less affordable and less accessible.

“We know the younger you start smoking the more likely you are to smoke in later life. Raising tobacco prices helps to limit this pathway, and in turn helps to reduce smoking related harms in both adults and youth in Wales.”

The tobacco industry lobbies against tax increases, arguing that high taxes cause illicit trade, however, Roger Mapleson, Lead Officer for Tobacco from Trading Standards Wales, said these claims are unfounded:

“With the average price of a packet of 20 cigarettes doubling in the last ten years you would expect the trade of cheap illegal tobacco to increase, in fact the sale of illegal tobacco, whilst still a problem, has decreased.

“The illegal tobacco market makes up 10% of all tobacco sales in Wales and makes it easier for children to start smoking and brings crime into the community. However there is little evidence that price increases translate into significant increases in the illegal trade.

“We would encourage anyone who knows anything about the sale of illegal products to report it through Wales’s national reporting portal Noifs Nobutts.”

Anonymous reports of illegal tobacco sales, underaged tobacco sales, and illegal tobacco sellers can be made via the Welsh reporting portal: noifs-nobutts.co.uk

ENDS

 

Notes

  • UK Government Spring Budget was published on Weds 15th March 2022, and can be found here.
  • Research from the University of Essex (2021), can be found here.

 

For further information contact:

 

Simon Scheeres |Policy & Public Affairs Manager| simon@ashwales.org.uk | 07841 571 516|

 

About us:

 

ASH Wales Cymru is the leading organisation working for a smokefree Wales via strong tobacco control policy and country-wide campaigns. We work to raise awareness of the health, economic and environmental effects of smoking by engaging with communities, young people and partners across Wales.

 

NB: Please refer to ASH Wales as a health charity/ tobacco control organisation.

 

Website www.ash.wales  Facebook www.facebook.com/ASHCymru

Twitter www.twitter.com/ASHWalesCymru

Study shows quitting smoking lowers stress, anxiety, and improves mood

Smokers are being urged to use this No Smoking Day, March 8th, to stub out stress after research showed quitting can make you happier and be as good as antidepressants on symptoms of anxiety and low mood.

A national drive by charity ASH Wales and Public Health Wales aims to dispel the myth that smoking effectively deals with stress and encourages smokers to take up free NHS support.

The latest YouGov survey for Wales shows over 50% of smokers, including those with mental health problems, would like to quit. Thousands of smokers across Wales will use No Smoking Day as the start of their quit journey.

According to ASH, smoking does not address the root causes of stress and actually increases anxiety and tension.  This is due to the addictive chemical in tobacco, nicotine, which produces feelings of irritability and stress when a smoker craves a cigarette. These withdrawal symptoms increase feelings of stress in those already experiencing this condition.

Beyond stress, the charity is highlighting research which found that smokers who quit for six weeks or more were happier than those who continued to smoke.

The research was conducted in 2021, and was published within the Cochrane Library, which is often seen as the gold standard for medical research and review.

The study found those who successfully stopped smoking could feel the mental health benefits in as little as six weeks, and that these benefits were felt even years later.

The study also found that quitting smoking held similar benefits to antidepressants in reducing anxiety and depression.

This year’s No Smoking Day theme was inspired by the ever-increasing financial burden of smoking and the impact this addiction has on mental health. Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said:

“Smoking is not a lifestyle choice, it is an addiction. The cost of living, increased stress, and poor mental health are all acutely felt by smokers.

“Our work has shown that many turn to smoking to relieve the stresses of modern life, without realising that smoking could be making things worse.

“Many think cigarettes are a good stress reliever, when in fact research shows that smoking is not an effective or safe way of dealing with stress. Today is a chance to address these misconceptions, and to signpost the brilliant NHS help that is available in Wales.”

Fiona Edwards is an NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner who supports people living with mental health conditions to quit. She said:

“People with mental health conditions are just as motivated as anyone else to quit smoking, but are often scared to leave behind what they view as a crutch for stress.

“Though, every year I see people quit and actually improve their levels of stress in the long-term, while also improving their physical health too.

“Taking charge of your physical and mental health through quitting smoking is really empowering, and I applaud anyone who is taking positive steps towards going smoke-free.”

Liz Newbury-Davies, Principal Public Health Practitioner for Tobacco Control at Public Health Wales said:

“Stopping smoking doesn’t need to be stressful as the free NHS ‘Help Me Quit’ smoking cessation service is on hand to help you go smoke-free.

“Smokers that receive support with our experts have the best chance of quitting for good, and are up to 300% more likely to quit when compared to going it alone.

“Help Me Quit services provide tailored support and free stop smoking medications worth up to £250. Our support is available in a range of options including through the telephone,  face-to-face in community venues, or via local pharmacies and hospitals.”

Join thousands of smokers across Wales this No Smoking Day who are using March 8th to commit to quitting. Beyond No Smoking Day, support is free in Wales and available all year.

For free support please contact ‘Help Me Quit’ on: helpmequit.wales. Alternatively, the service can be reached by calling 0800 085 2219, or by texting 80818.

Supplement:

HEALTH BENEFITS OF QUITTING

Beyond mental health, what are the psychical benefits of quitting smoking?

8 Hours after quitting

Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood reduce by half and your oxygen levels return to normal.

24 hours after quitting

Carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body; lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.

48 hours after quitting

There is no nicotine left in your body and the ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.

72 hours after quitting

Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax, and your energy levels should start to increase.

2-12 weeks after quitting

Circulation improves. Oxygenated blood is flowing around your body and helping to improve your health.

3-9 months after quitting

Coughs and wheezing reduce, and how well you can breathe increases by up to 10%.

1 year smokefree

Your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

10 years smokefree

The risk of getting lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker.

15 years smokefree

Your risk of a heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

Notes

  • Cochrane study into mental health benefits of stopping smoking, found here, here and
  • Physical benefits of stopping smoking found here.
  • ASH Wales YouGov Survey found here.

Crackdown on Criminals Selling Illegal Tobacco to Children in Wales

A national campaign to stop criminals offering children illegal tobacco has been launched after a new survey revealed over a third of children that smoke in Wales had been approached by sellers.

The Wales-wide survey of over 1,000 11 to 16-year-olds showed that 32% of current smokers had been offered cheap illegal tobacco and 25% had gone on to buy it.

According to latest research from ASH Wales, illegal tobacco makes up 10% of the entire tobacco market, funds criminality in the community and makes it easy for children start smoking.

The NEMS survey, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, showed children in Wales were most likely to be offered illegal tobacco by friends or family (39%), in educational settings (17%) and in shops (11%).

The study also indicated that children who had bought illegal tobacco were highly likely to buy it every time they were offered it (89%).

Welsh Government, Trading Standards and the tobacco action group ASH Wales, have launched a national drive to encourage members of the community to anonymously report information about illegal tobacco through the NoIfs-NoButts website.

Lynne Neagle MS, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said: “I am aware of the recent research from NEMS and I am concerned by this. When we protect our children from illegal tobacco, we protect them from life of possible tobacco addiction.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, a fact that dominates our health landscape. That’s why the Welsh Government has set a target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030, meaning less than 5% of the population smoking.

“I am especially committed to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of children and I urge anyone to report sellers who break the law.”

The survey also revealed that of the children who bought illegal tobacco, over 50% said it allowed them to continue smoking because it was cheaper and easier to get hold of.

Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said the case for action was now very clear: “Smoking is not a lifestyle choice it is a deadly addiction that nearly always starts in childhood.

“These latest figures show that far too many children in Wales are being offered and sold illegal tobacco by criminals who don’t care how old they are or about the laws we have in place to protect them.

“Cheap illegal tobacco creates a gateway into smoking because its cheap and easy to get hold of. We need communities across Wales to pull together and report these illegal sales and protect our children.”

Illegal tobacco takes many forms, which includes:

  • ‘Cheap whites’, which are cigarettes mass produced in one country and smuggled to another.
  • Fakes, which look like well-known brands.
  • Genuine tobacco smuggled into the UK with no-duty paid (often cheap and display foreign languages).

Reports gathered from the Government’s Noifs- NoButts website have already led to raids across Wales. Last month alone, a quarter of a million cigarettes and 20Kg of rolling tobacco were seized in raids across North Wales.

Trading Standards Tobacco Lead in Wales, Roger Mapleson, said: “The extent of the impact of this criminality on our communities should not be underestimated.

“With nearly one million illegal cigarettes being smoked in Wales every single day, illegal tobacco is being sold in every corner of Wales.

“We are dedicated to finding those that break the law, seizing illegal product, causing maximum disruption, closing down their operations and prosecuting criminal behaviour.“

In 2021, Welsh Trading Standards teams confiscated over 3 million illegal cigarettes off the informal black market. If you know anyone who is selling illegal tobacco in Wales, an anonymous reporting portal can be found at: noifs-nobutts.co.uk.

Notes:

2022 NEMS Survey Results: 11-16 year olds total sample: 1022

Heard of illegal tobacco54%
Current smokers7%
Current smokers who smoke daily52%
Current smokers who smoke cannabis41%
Ever been offered illegal tobacco (current smokers)32%
Those who have bought illegal tobacco when offered (current smokers)24%
Frequency of purchase when offered (illegal tobacco buyers)89%
Tried illegal tobacco (current smokers)36%
Ever bought illegal tobacco (current smokers)25%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: shop (illegal tobacco buyers)11%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: friend / family member (illegal tobacco buyers)39%
Normal channel of illegal tobacco: educational setting (illegal tobacco buyers)17%
  • The 2014 Illegal Tobacco Survey (NEMS), can be found
  • The recent 2022 NEMS survey was run by ASH Wales, and was funded by Welsh Government.
  • More information about illegal tobacco in Wales, found
  • Recent North Wales raid (original press release), found
  • 2021 figures from national illegal tobacco raids in Wales (original press release), found here.
  • Noif- No Butts reporting portal found here.

Welsh Smokers Faced with Choosing: Smoking, Heating, or Eating

Latest evidence · September 2026

The cigarette-price and annual-spend figures in this February 2023 article are historical and should not be treated as current. For current quitting support, see Help Me Quit Wales; for current Wales smoking evidence, use our statistics hub.

Welsh Smokers are choosing between smoking, heating, or eating, as the cost of living deepens in Wales.Concerns have been raised by the health charity ASH Wales and Welsh NHS services, who have both seen a rise in smokers seeking support.According to ASH Wales, smoking is not a habit but an addiction, which explains why smoking can lead many into financial hardship. For context, a packet of cigarettes now costs in the region of £12.Research conducted by ASH has found that smokers now spend on average £2,451 a year on cigarettes, which is the cost equivalent of an average energy bill in Great Britain.The high cost of cigarettes coupled with the high cost of living has caused many smokers in Wales to seek support.According to the NHS stop smoking service at Hywel Dda University Health Board, there has been a rise in smokers who want to quit, in a bid to reduce spending.Fiona Edwards, a NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner working in Carmarthen, said:“The cost of smoking is substantial, and in recent months we have seen many smokers access services as they are faced with choosing between smoking, heating, or eating.‘Many people will think this an easy choice for smokers to make, however, it is worth noting that smoking is an addiction which often requires specialised intervention and support.‘The current climate has prompted many smokers to seek help to reduce their spending.”Helen Poole, a NHS Smoking Cessation Practitioner working in Cardiff has also seen a rise in smokers concerned with finances. She said:“The cost of smoking is substantial and continues to be one of the main motivators for people to stop smoking.‘The cost of living crisis is felt across Wales, and is acutely felt by those trapped in tobacco addiction.”In light of the surge in smokers facing financial difficulty, the charity ASH Wales have launched a financial health campaign.The ‘Switch, Quit and Save’ campaign and has been created in partnership with ASH Wales, Welsh money advice services, and local health boards.The campaign signposts smokers to cheaper and less-harmful tobacco alternatives, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine gum.The campaign also signposts smokers to the national stop smoking service, ‘Help Me Quit’, which offers free nicotine therapies and stop smoking support.Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, marked the benefits of stopping smoking. She said:“The current climate is difficult for everyone, and it is especially hard on those trapped in the financial drain of smoking.“Smoking  is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, costing many lives and needless pounds .‘I urge anyone to utilise the current climate as a springboard to improve finances and overall health by stopping smoking.”Free specialist stop smoking support is available to all smokers in Wales, and can be accessed through Helpmequit.wales.Case study:Jordan Lee is a 25 year old housing officer living in Carmarthenshire. After joining the ‘Quit, Switch and Save’ campaign, Jordan has managed to stop smoking 9 cigarettes a day.Jordan explained why he decided to become smoke-free.“I am by no means penniless or destitute, but like many, I have been hit hard by the rise in bills’.‘It actually got to a point where I was rationing my cigarettes over Christmas, to keep my costs down’.‘Like any smoker, I found cutting down to be painful and extremely hard. Rather than drawing out the inevitable, I just had enough and decided to quit.‘ I got hold of patches through my local pharmacy, and  I am now 20 days smoke-free; which I am shocked but happy with. The parches were itchy to begin with, but they definitely reduced my cravings in the first few days.‘ A lot of people will think that health is a primary reason for quitting smoking, but for me, paying £11-12  for a packet of cigarettes was an expense I could no longer justify, especially given how expensive everything has become.‘The cost of living crisis is difficult for everyone, and for me it was the catalyst I needed to change.‘While cost was a main motivator, I have noticed that my breathing has improved over the last two weeks.‘My advice to anyone thinking of quitting would be: if you are serious about giving up smoking, your health and finances will thank you later down the line.”Beyond finances, the benefits of stopping smoking are immediate. In as little as 72 hours breathing becomes easier and smoking debris begins to clear from the lungs.After 1 year of quitting, the risk of a heart attack halves compared to a smoker. After 10 years of smoke-free, the risk of lung cancer also halves compared to a smoker.Notes
  • ASH UK research on smoking & poverty (with annual average spending estimates), found here.
  • The health benefits of stopping smoking can be found here.
  • The national stop smoking service, ‘Help Me Quit’, is found here.
  • The ASH Wales ‘Quit, Switch & Save’ campaign, can be found here.