Cigarettes and Tobacco News

Nov 22, 2006 -- SHOPS will be banned from stocking cigarettes if they repeatedly sell them to children, under proposals put forward today by an expert working group.

It also recommended a rise in the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 16 to 18, and an end to the display of cigarettes in shops.

The Smoking Prevention Working Group (SPWG), which put forward 31 recommendations aimed at preventing young people from smoking, also urges the UK Government to increase the price of tobacco products at a rate faster than inflation.

Ministers will now consider the hard line study, written by Dr Laurence Gruer, director of public health science at NHS Health Scotland, before issuing a response next year. Anti-smoking groups today welcomed the tough range of measures proposed by the SPWG.

Maureen Moore, chief executive of ASH Scotland said: "ASH Scotland is delighted that this report makes so many strong and sensible recommendations.

"Youth smoking is a real challenge to Scotland's health; it's vital that action is taken to help young people say no to an addiction that will eventually kill one in two long-term smokers.

"If the age of purchase for cigarettes moves from 16 to 18, it is vital that it is properly enforced.

"Currently, 25 per cent of 15- year-old girls smoke, with 87 per cent of them buying cigarettes from shops, supermarkets or petrol stations.

"Having the age set at 16 obviously doesn't work.

"ASH Scotland's main concern is making sure that the age limit is properly enforced, regardless if it is set at 16 or 18."

The report recommends the introduction of a "negative licensing" scheme for shops that sell cigarettes to allow new laws to be enforced. Retailers would be banned from stocking cigarettes if they were caught selling them to people under age. Similar schemes operate in Australia.

The proposals put forward by SPWG also include stopping the display of cigarettes at the point of sale. Shops would instead be allowed to display a simple list of the brands available and their prices.

Ms Moore supports this move. She said: "You can't get away from cigarettes in shops in Scotland, and that makes it really difficult for smokers who are trying to quit.

"The massive displays are just a way for the tobacco industry to advertise their products. It's time that we saw it for what it is and put a stop to it."

In Scotland in 2004, at 15, about 14 per cent of boys and 24 per cent of girls were regular smokers.

SPWG is recommending increasing the age limit in a bid to make it harder for teenagers to buy cigarettes.

The Smoking Prevention Working Group was made up of health professionals from across Scotland and was established as a sub-group of the Scottish ministerial working group on tobacco control.

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "We would like to extend our thanks to Dr Gruer and his colleagues on the working group for their hard work in writing this report.

"We will now give careful consideration to the report and its recommendations before publishing a full response in due course."