Smoking age guidance launched
The new age limit aims to discourage young smokers
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Monday, 23, Jul 2007 09:27
Online advice has been launched today to ensure that people are aware of the new smoking age this autumn.
From October 1st the age of the sale of tobacco will rise from 16 to 18 in England and Wales in a bid to reduce the number of young teenagers taking up smoking.
A similar rise is expected to be implemented in Scotland on the same date.
According to the Department of Health, nine per cent of 11 to 15-year-olds and 26 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds are smokers.
The younger a smoker starts, the more likely they are to be killed by their addiction; someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer due to smoking than someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s.
From this morning a new website, tobaccoagechange.co.uk, will provide advice for retailers to "make it as easy as possible" for them to abide by the new law.
Those who sell to under 18s from October risk facing a fine of up to £2,500.
Public health minister Dawn Primarolo warned that half of all teenagers who smoke will die from diseases caused by tobacco if the continue their habit when they are older.
"Raising the minimum age at which teenagers can be sold tobacco products will reduce the availability of cigarettes, and could therefore discourage young people from taking up smoking in the first place," she added.
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said the government "must ensure" that everyone knows what is expected of them when the new law comes into effect.
"Retailers will be the frontline defence against under 18s buying tobacco and this campaign will help them to do this job," he said. "We welcome the opportunity to work with the Department of Health to ensure customers are aware of the change and that no one is caught by surprise on October 1st."