Increase the legal age for smoking promptly, and clamp down on Smuggled Cigarettes - Elliott
Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has urged the Stormont executive to pass the necessary legislation in Northern Ireland that would introduce similar legislation as came into force in the rest of the UK on 1 October 2007 banning the sale of cigarettes to under 18’s
Tom said: “The consultation was launched by the Assembly Health Committee this week to seek the views of the public and it will be next year before the legal age can be changed. I consider it a missed opportunity that the same legislation did not come into force at the same time as other parts of the UK and it is now necessary to have a 12 week consultation exercise on raising the age of sale of tobacco products from 16 to 18. I would have thought that the Draft Smoking Order (2006) which put in place the smoking ban in public places from 1 April 2007 should have included this provision to ban tobacco sales to those under 18.
All cancer charities have clear evidence that about 9% of all 11 to 15 year olds smoke and we know that the majority of smokers become addicted to cigarettes before they reach the age of 18 and by raising the age it should help reduce the number of smokers. Currently, half of all teenagers who smoke will die from diseases caused by tobacco if they continue to smoke throughout their life. Anything that can be done to reduce the number of smokers is welcome and I trust that the necessary legislation will be introduced in Northern Ireland, as quickly as possible.
At present we are the only region in the UK where this ban is not in place and it should greatly assist retailers in detecting under age smokers and bring tobacco into line with purchase of alcohol, fireworks and glue. Retailers will have a legal obligation not to sell to under 18’s when the law is changed and will face heavy fines if they do so. I believe that most retailers in Northern Ireland do apply the restrictions very well but one of the biggest problems in Northern Ireland is the illegal selling of smuggled cigarettes to children and parents. A recent case illustrates the extent of the problem when an “ice cream seller” had assets of nearly £1 million seized through sales of smuggled cigarettes in Northern Ireland It is estimated that at least 25% of cigarettes smoked in the UK are smuggled and no duty paid and the duty lost could go towards financing our hospitals, schools and other essential services and driving legitimate retailers out of business. This problem must be addressed if we are to reduce the number of underage smokers, otherwise the problem will go under ground.”