ON World No Tobacco Day new figures show that people in the North-East do not trust the tobacco industry.

Data from the Smokefree Britain survey, conducted in the North-East by YouGov, found that 80 per cent agree tobacco companies should be required to disclose the amount spent on lobbying politicians, front groups and promoting their products - only three three per cent disagree

It found that 75 per cent of adults in the North-East support the view that all government health policy should be protected from the influence of the tobacco industry and its representatives.

Half of all councils with public health responsibility have now signed a declaration pioneered by Newcastle City Council confirming they will act to protect health policies from the vested interests of tobacco companies, in line with the UK’s obligations under the international World Health Organisation treaty on tobacco; the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Lisa Surtees, acting director of Fresh, said: “The tobacco industry is probably the least trusted of industries on earth, selling and promoting a product that kills one in two smokers and trying to block governments from any measures that will reduce smoking. The North-East public are very clear that policy makers should not let them exert any influence.”