Cigarettes and Tobacco News

Jan 1, 2007 -- London, England (AHN) - Nearly one month after announcing a ban on smoking in enclosed public places, the British government has now announced its plan to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes in England and Wales from 16 to 18 years from October.

According to the Public Health Minister Caroline Flint, "Buying cigarettes has been too easy for under 16s... The law change demonstrates our determination to stop this and to reduce the numbers of teenagers who smoke."

Raising the age limit to 18 will make it easier for cigarette vendors to spot under-age buyers and reduce the number of teenage smokers.

An awareness marketing campaign will also be launched that will focus on exposing the ill effects of smoking.

Currently, about 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds are into smoking and the government hopes the new age limit will reduce this figure.

However, experts warned other measures were also needed.

According to the government announcement, the date is unspecified for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Smoking is dangerous at any age, but the younger people start, the more likely they are to become life-long smokers and to die early. Someone who starts smoking aged 15 is three times more likely to die of cancer due to smoking than someone who starts in their late 20s," Flint said.

In an announcement earlier this month, Prime Minister Tony Blair's government decided to impose a ban on smoking in enclosed public places starting from July 1.