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Cigarette machine ban begins in Wales
Cigarette machine ban begins in Wales
Posted on: Thursday 2nd February 2012
A ban on cigarette vending machines came into force in Wales yesterday (1st February) and is soon to be issued in Northern Island on 1st March.
The ban came about after it emerged that a shocking 10 per cent of smokers between 11-15 years-old brought cigarettes from vending machines; with the new law in place young people will now find it much harder to buy cigarettes.
The ban was originally imposed in England in October 2011; however, due to legal reasons, it has taken time to be imposed in other areas of the UK.
"Banning sales of tobacco from vending machines is a step in the right direction to reducing smoking addiction in childhood and improving the public health of our communities," said Steve Whitehouse, chair of Wales' heads of trading standards (WHoTS) officials in a BBC report.
There were an estimated 3,000 vending machines in Wales before the ban was imposed and research published by Welsh trading standards officials in 2009 young people could successfully purchase cigarettes from vending machines. However, Simon Clark, director of the pro-smoking group Forest, said that vending machines were an expensive way to buy cigarettes and he did not believe the machines were being used by children.
In the BBC report, Carole Morgan-Jones, campaign manager at Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) in Wales, said the ban was the most "comprehensive measure" to tackle children's access to cigarettes.
"The rationale behind it is that vending machines are easily accessible to children to purchase cigarettes and they often aren't challenged by staff where they are at the moment and this is a vital measure," she told the Good Morning Wales programme.
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said: "Making cigarettes less accessible is one way of discouraging children from taking up smoking in the first place.
"It will also support the efforts of the many adults in Wales who try to quit smoking each year."
From 1 February, a business found to be selling cigarettes to the public directly from a vending machine could be fined up to £2,500 and if vending machines display tobacco advertising the business could face a fine of up to £5,000 and a two year prison sentence.
Posted on: Thursday 2nd February 2012
A ban on cigarette vending machines came into force in Wales yesterday (1st February) and is soon to be issued in Northern Island on 1st March.
The ban came about after it emerged that a shocking 10 per cent of smokers between 11-15 years-old brought cigarettes from vending machines; with the new law in place young people will now find it much harder to buy cigarettes.
The ban was originally imposed in England in October 2011; however, due to legal reasons, it has taken time to be imposed in other areas of the UK.
"Banning sales of tobacco from vending machines is a step in the right direction to reducing smoking addiction in childhood and improving the public health of our communities," said Steve Whitehouse, chair of Wales' heads of trading standards (WHoTS) officials in a BBC report.
There were an estimated 3,000 vending machines in Wales before the ban was imposed and research published by Welsh trading standards officials in 2009 young people could successfully purchase cigarettes from vending machines. However, Simon Clark, director of the pro-smoking group Forest, said that vending machines were an expensive way to buy cigarettes and he did not believe the machines were being used by children.
In the BBC report, Carole Morgan-Jones, campaign manager at Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) in Wales, said the ban was the most "comprehensive measure" to tackle children's access to cigarettes.
"The rationale behind it is that vending machines are easily accessible to children to purchase cigarettes and they often aren't challenged by staff where they are at the moment and this is a vital measure," she told the Good Morning Wales programme.
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said: "Making cigarettes less accessible is one way of discouraging children from taking up smoking in the first place.
"It will also support the efforts of the many adults in Wales who try to quit smoking each year."
From 1 February, a business found to be selling cigarettes to the public directly from a vending machine could be fined up to £2,500 and if vending machines display tobacco advertising the business could face a fine of up to £5,000 and a two year prison sentence.
