New rules on tobacco sales are welcomed (From Thisisdorset)

New rules on tobacco sales are welcomed

10:22am Thursday 28th September 2006

• Print
• Email
• Share

GOVERNMENT plans to raise the age limit for the sale of tobacco products to 18 have been welcomed by trading standard chiefs in Dorset.

The Department of Health hopes that by increasing the current age limit of 16 it will eventually reduce adult smoking rates to 21 per cent from 25 per cent at present by 2010.

Head of regulatory services at Dorst County Council Bill Jaggs said: "The government's consultation paper highlights that smoking is the greatest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK, killing around 106,000 people a year.

"Further measures have to be taken to prevent children from buying tobacco, the rationale being that the younger people start, the more likely they are to smoke for longer and to die early from smoking.

"Someone who starts smoking aged 15 is three times more likely to die of cancer due to smoking than someone who starts in their mid-twenties."

Mr Jaggs said children who experimented with cigarettes quickly became addicted to the nicotine in tobacco. They were also susceptible to more immediate health risks.

"Children who smoke regularly are two to six times more susceptible to coughs, increased phlegm wheeziness and shortness of breath than those who do not smoke. One study revealed that they are also three times more likely to have time off school," he added.

Members of the county's corporate services overview and policy development committee are being recommended on Monday to support the government's policy and also proposals to ban retailers from selling tobacco if they repeatedly sell tobacco products to underage children.

But officers say increased funding needs to be available for enforcement to be carried out effectively.

• Print
• Email
• Share