Advertising works, smoking kills - today we can begin to break that link

Alan Milburn Health Secretary

The ban would help avoid 3,000 deaths and save the National Health Service more than �40m every year, he told MPs.

The Liberal Democrats are backing the Bill but Conservative MPs are pressing for more proof that advertising leads to more smoking.

Saving lives

Tobacco manufacturers have argued that advertising only changes the market share between competing brands rather than encouraging people to take up the habit.

Such arguments were rejected by Mr Milburn, who said there was "crystal clear" evidence to show that banning tobacco advertisements would help save lives.

Eighty-three per cent of smokers started before they reached the age of 20, he said as he stressed children and teenagers were most at risk.

Liam Fox says the real issue is how to tackle smuggling

He pointed to research showing that boys were twice as likely to become smokers if they were fans of motor racing, one of the sports that heavily feature tobacco advertising.

Mr Milburn continued: "Advertising works, smoking kills. Today we can begin to break that link.

"This bill will protect children, reducing smoking and so save lives."

Tobacco companies had to recruit more smokers through advertising to replace the 120,000 killed each year through smoking, added Mr Milburn.

Tory opposition

But shadow health secretary Liam Fox dubbed the debate a "political groundhog day" because all the arguments had been heard before.

Dr Fox said the Conservatives recognised that "smoking was a bad thing" which posed serious health risks to health but said they opposed the plans.

He pointed to efforts by Conservative governments to restrict tobacco advertising and raise tax on cigarettes.

Those efforts had enjoyed initial success but smoking among children had still risen during recent years, he said.

It was the huge rise in cigarette smuggling into Britain that was to blame for that increase, argued Dr Fox.

"If you cannot tackle the smuggling issue and if the real price of tobacco continues to fall, that will be the drive towards greater prevalence," he added.

Ending mailshots

The plans would put an end to sponsorship by tobacco companies of sporting and other events by 2006, with other advertising prohibited by July next year.

The Bill would stop the promotion of smoking through free distribution of tobacco products, coupons and mailshots.

There would also be restrictions on the display and promotion of tobacco products in shops.

The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill is exactly the same as earlier legislation, which had to be dropped when last year's general election was called.

End 'cool' image

The proposals were re-introduced to Parliament by Lib Dem peer Lord Clement-Jones before the government decided to back the plans.

Lib Dem health spokesman Evan Harris called the Tory opposition "quite shocking" and said the ban was long overdue.

But the government also needed to try to get the film, television and fashion industries to stop high profile product-placement of tobacco, he argued.

Dr Harris said: "All the work that's done on a tobacco ban for formal, direct advertising can be undone by the great visibility of cigarette smoking purveyed as in some way cool in those media which young people watch."

A Tory amendment claiming a lack of evidence of the impact of advertising and complaining there were few measures against smuggling was defeated by a 219 majority.

The Bill was given an unopposed second reading.