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"Smoking age increased to 18"

The Sun

THE legal age for buying tobacco is to be raised from 16 to 18, the Government announced.

Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said the new law would come into effect from October 1, with the current one dating back to 1908.

Government statistics show that 9% of young people aged between 11 and 15 smoke - down from 13% in 1996.

With tobacco and alcohol illegal for under-18s, retailers should further be helped to comply with the law, the Department of Health said.

England and Wales will now move into line with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US.

The Government launched a public consultation in July on whether the limit should be raised to 17 or 18 or left as it is.

Ms Flint said: "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."

The Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England Survey 2004, revealed that 70% of 11 to 15-year-old smokers buy their cigarettes from small shops such as newsagents.

While the NHS spends around 1.7 billion each year on treating smoking-related diseases. According to ASH, tobacco taxation amounts to 10.5 billion per year.

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Comments anyone? Do you think this will help cut the number of underage smokers? Do we have any smokers here? At what age did you pick up the habit?

damn that must be a drag, what if some 16 year old takes up the habit now and by october when they're fully addicted to the stuff and can't purchase it? Will the cravings drive them mad?

Garin wrote:
> About time too.
>
> Now I just want a 9pm curfew for anybody under the age of 21. :)


why stop there? I demand a secret ninja police force to enforce this policy and destroy all who deviate.


Vote for me as forum dictator of the year and i'll make a similar pledge by editron XP: stop random ninja attacks and (coincidently) set up a secret ninja police force to keep you in line and prevent anyone acting subversly.

Oh and a hidden camera in all girls changing rooms and bathrooms.

spoonbeast wrote:
> Oh and a hidden camera in all girls changing rooms and
> bathrooms.

You'd go blind if you put one in my schools changing.

Sunflower wrote:
> Garin wrote:
> Shes just a bully. :(
>
> Oh well, if there is a curfew I will have to stay at home, which
> means I'm more likely to come on here, and if I come on here
> because of the curfew i will just bully Garin even more :P

Dont make me set Machie on you. :P

Garin wrote:
> Dont make me set Machie on you. :P

*Hides*

It'll make no difference whatsoever.

Note to Kawada; I understand your sarcasm, I just don't conjsider it wit.

Wasn't sarcasm, just a helpful little message to stop any confusion you seem to have over my posts for the future, so each one i think can slightly be taken the wrong way i'll leave a happy little note just so you understand. Just a little friendly service that's all :-)

It's not really going to stop anyone smoking I doubt, but it might make it harder for underage kids to get cigarettes (especially if they do this "if you look under 21, we'll ID you" as they do with alcohol)...

Not that this will stop them smoking, if they have mates who are over 18 or look over 18, they'll just get them to make the purchase...

So yeah, don't think it'll decrease the number of underage smokers, but it might decrease how much they actually smoke, because it'll be more hassle getting served.

I guess before this kicks in they'll all stock up on cigs while they can =) The 16 and 17 year olds that is.

If you're 16 and want to buy cigs, do they ask you for ID? I dont think many people under 18 have ID. So if you have to be 18 to buy cigs now (well soon) then I guess the shops can now ask for ID like they do with alcohol. Perhaps they should consider raising the lottery limit to 18 as well =) I don't think it's a good idea for a 16 year old to become a millionnaire anyway. Wasnt there a girl once who won it at that age?

Well I better start stocking up.