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Did you know?
The risks to health from smoking tobacco
are well documented. Smoking is the main cause of lung
cancer and is linked to heart disease, chronic bronchitis
and asthma.
It is the single most preventable cause of death in
the UK. Tobacco related illness costs the NHS between
£1.4 and £1.6 billion a year with patients
occupying 9,500 beds a day.
A recent report on smoking amongst secondary school
children showed that 25% of all pupils in England had
tried to buy cigarettes in the last year. 60% were successful.
The Law - The Children & Young Persons
(Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991
Offences relating to the sales of cigarettes and other
tobacco products:
The trader or anyone who is employed by the trader
should not sell tobacco or cigarettes to anyone under
the age of 18.
Cigarettes must be sold in their original packaging
and packs should not be opened and cigarettes sold individually.
If the trader has a vending
machine
on the premises, he is responsible for ensuring that
no one under the age of 18 can use
it.
A warning notice, required by law, must be displayed
in shops, which reads :
| IT IS
ILLEGAL TO SELL TOBACCO
PRODUCTS TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18
|
A similar notice is required on vending machines the
notice must read :
|
THIS MACHINE IS ONLY FOR THE USE
OF PEOPLE AGED 18 OR OVER
IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL TOBACCO
PRODUCTS TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18
|
Traders who sell cigarettes and other tobacco products
to people under the age of 18 could
be prosecuted and face fines up to £2,500.
The maximum fine for selling loose cigarettes or
not displaying
the required notice is £1000.
Further trader guidance
on age restricted products.
Anyone suspecting a shop of illegally selling such
products to children can report this to us confidentially
on our free hotline 0800 093 5878 or
online.
Useful Links
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Ash
Website of a public health charity campaigning
to reduce tobacco related health problems
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Frank
A campaign to provide reliable information on
the risks associated with drug use and help for
parents to talk to children about it
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Jonny
Longlife
Local website providing healthly living advice
to young people
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Mind,
Body & Soul (now called need2know)
Website aiming to give young people aged 14-16,
the lowdown on health in a fun and interesting
way.
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