We are delighted that from today, cigarettes will come in standardised packaging. Free from any colourful or misleading advertising. This is in spite of the tobacco industry’s ferocious opposition which was only yesterday rejected by the high court in London.

This is a brilliant achievement for a great cause – the aim of standard packs is to reduce the number of young people who take up smoking every year by making packs less appealing. After all, two thirds of regular smokers start before they turn 18, with six hundred children having their first cigarette every day.

In the long term, standardised packaging will prevent deaths from a myriad of smoking-related diseases including cancer.

Cancer Research UK’s campaign win is well deserved and hard fought – it’s taken years of work from a dedicated team to reach this point. It’s victory for public health and common sense.

PLMR Senior Account Manager Francesca Dobson, said:

“We were delighted when the Government announced standardised packaging would be implemented. This is the result of a hard fought campaign in the face of fierce and well-funded opposition by the tobacco industry. We are proud to work with CRUK – an amazing charity determined to prevent and treat cancer in order to save lives – and this victory is another step in the right direction.”