SUPPORTING SMOKERS’ RIGHTS SINCE 1979

Forest accuses Chancellor of being “heartless and cruel”

Forest has accused the Chancellor of being “heartless and cruel” after Jeremy Hunt increased cigarette duty by over 12%.

Simon Clark, director of Forest, said, “Punishing smokers for their habit during a cost of living crisis is heartless and cruel.

“It discriminates against poorer smokers and will drive many more consumers to the black market.

“This is bad news for legitimate, law-abiding retailers, and bad news for the Treasury which could lose billions of pounds in revenue if more smokers buy their tobacco from illicit traders.”

In This Section

Simon Clark

Mission & Vision

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Mission

Forest’s mission is to protect the interests of adults who choose to smoke or consume tobacco.

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Our key aims and objectives are to:

  • counteract the “denormalisation” of smoking, and smokers
  • prevent further restrictions on the purchase and consumption of tobacco
  • establish closer links with other tobacco-friendly groups at home and abroad
  • build support among consumers of tobacco and other similarly threatened groups
  • highlight the increasingly intrusive nature of Big Government in the lives of private individuals