Fresh - Smoke free North East

Welcome to Fresh,
Smoke Free North East.

Parents are being urged to help protect children from starting to smoke by backing plain, standardised tobacco packaging.

Show your support for making smoking history for more children or watch our film to see what people in the North East think about plain packaging.

Or view our infographic into reducing smoking among children and young people

About Fresh

Fresh was the UK's first dedicated regional programme set up in the North East of England to tackle the worst rates of smoking related illness and death in the country.  At the heart is every child's right to grow up free of the harm caused by tobacco.

Smoking is still our biggest killer - claiming the lives of 5,500 people in the North East every year - that's more than alcohol, accidents, suicide, illegal drugs and diabetes combined. And around 13,000 children need medical attention from breathing in other people's smoke each year.

But progress is being made. The North East has had the biggest drop in smoking in England from 29% in 2005 to 21% of people in 2010.

The tobacco industry used to be free to promote smoking without restriction and still exerts considerable power. In the UK it is now fighting to protect loopholes that still allow forms of cigarette promotion.

 If you're a member of the public, please stay to find out about the work we do. If you're a partner, we hope you find it a useful resource.

Read the latest Fresh Annual Report 2010-11.

More about Fresh