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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?

Alfonse wrote:
> Seriously why would I want to be on the streets of London at
> night.
> I get bumrash.

Ew.

Geffdof wrote:
> the kids wouldnt think it was "cool" anymore.

He has a point, ya know?

A few of you have said that kids smoke because they shouldnt. Increasing the age wont stop this, it ill just increase the ammount of people who legaly cant smoke. If its genuinely believed that kids are just being rebellious they should decrese the age. That way no laws are being broken and the kids wouldnt think it was "cool" anymore.

Seriously why would I want to be on the streets of London at night.
I'd probably get bumrushed.

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

Most of those statistics in the main post are about 11-15 year olds who smoke regardles of the law. If they increase the age it wont change anything. Underage smokers will still do it. It will actually increase the number of underage smokers because all the 16-17 years olds who want to smoke will become underage.

Shes just a bully. :(

Machie wrote:
> what's he done to you Sunny >=(

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

Leave Garin's teddy alone, what's he done to you Sunny >=(