Smoking
Tuesday 2nd January, 2007 05:58 Comments: 1
The government is to raise the legal minimum age at which tobacco can be bought from 16 to 18 years from October. The government argues that raising the legal age to 18 will make it easier for retailers to spot under-age smokers (although I suspect they must know, but sell it to the kids anyway), and that bringing the legal age for the purchase of tobacco into line with that of alcohol will reinforce the dangers of smoking to young people (presumably because kids don't drink until they're 18, and they drink responsibly, as they're well aware of the dangers of alcohol :S).
A recent survey suggested that only 23% of children aged under 16 who tried to buy tobacco found it difficult to do so. Evidence shows that nearly 70% of 11 to 15-year-old smokers say they buy their cigarettes from small shops such as newsagents and corner shops. Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said "the new limit is only going to be effective if it is properly enforced and part of a broad set of actions designed to discourage young people from starting to smoke."
I suspect the police will even do test purchasing exercises against retailers, and then the retailer will pay a small fine and blame it on an employee that wasn't following store policy and has subsequently been sacked. Seen to be doing.
I'm sure the 16 and 17 year old chain smokers are going to love being told that they can no longer legally buy the cigarettes that they've become addicted to.
A recent survey suggested that only 23% of children aged under 16 who tried to buy tobacco found it difficult to do so. Evidence shows that nearly 70% of 11 to 15-year-old smokers say they buy their cigarettes from small shops such as newsagents and corner shops. Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said "the new limit is only going to be effective if it is properly enforced and part of a broad set of actions designed to discourage young people from starting to smoke."
I suspect the police will even do test purchasing exercises against retailers, and then the retailer will pay a small fine and blame it on an employee that wasn't following store policy and has subsequently been sacked. Seen to be doing.
I'm sure the 16 and 17 year old chain smokers are going to love being told that they can no longer legally buy the cigarettes that they've become addicted to.
Fab - Tuesday 2nd January, 2007 11:03 Or persuade them that smoking is not cool perhaps? Heck they can just get an older gang member or adult to buy the smokes. Failing that they will just steal them. Another pointless bit of legislation that does nothing to tackle the cause.