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Smoking is linked to 120 000 deaths each year in Britain. 

 

It can cause cancer, heart disease, respiratory disorders such as emphysema and other disorders.

 

It can also increase more minor irritations such as coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath.

 

The younger a person is when they start smoking or are exposed to tobacco smoke the worse the effects on their health. More than 80% of adult smokers start in their early teens.

 

Department of Health figures suggest that in England in 2001 10% of 11 to 15 year olds smoked regularly (other sources quote a figure of 12%), this equated to 11 % of girls and 8% of boys. Within the age range 1% of 11 year old were regular smokers rising to 22% of 15 year olds.

 

Department of Health statistics also suggest that in the period Sept 2000 to Aug 2001 Trading Standards Services throughout the country made a total of 3800 attempted test purchases with under 16 volunteers, 445 were successful.

 

The component of tobacco smoke which causes the physical addiction is nicotine, which in its purest form is one of the powerful alkaloid poisons known. It is also used as a component in insecticide.

 

Addiction to nicotine is usually established in young smokers within about a year of first experimenting with cigarettes, in many cases they are hooked before reaching the age at which it is legal to buy cigarettes.

 

 

 

 

Legislation:

 

Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991

 

Age restriction:

 

The minimum age for buying cigarettes and tobacco products has been raised from 16 to 18.

 

Click on the image to open a poster giving notice of the change. To download the poster right-click on the image and choose 'Save Target As...'

Download signage and posters from: 

 

 

 

 

Useful Links:

 

Click...

 

 

 

Tobacco Action Gloucestershire is based at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital 

 

01452 394592

 

 

Action on Smoking and Health
Click on the icon.

 

ashlogo

 

 

Mind, Body & Soul

 

 

 

Department of Health

 

 

 

 

   

-----   Gloucestershire County Council, Trading Standards, Hillfield House, Denmark Road, Gloucester GL1 3LD
Telephone: (01452) 426201 - Fax: (01452) 426274 -
Electronic Mail: tradstds@gloucestershire.gov.uk
 
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm

Copyright © Gloucestershire 1999


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This page was last edited on 19/05/08