Support grows for bid to put cigarettes under counter

Oct 3 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal

THOUSANDS of people in the North East have signed postcards calling on MPs to vote in favour of putting cigarettes under the counter.

Parliament will vote later this month on new measures in the Health Bill to put tobacco out of sight in shops and restrict cigarette vending machines, both aimed at cutting the number of teenagers who start smoking each year.

Campaign group Fresh says around 10,000 children aged 11-15 smoke in our region – and unless they quit, one in two will die from it.

Smoking is the nation’s biggest killer, costing the NHS £2.7bn a year and businesses £2.1bn a year through illness and absenteeism alone.

Medical experts say the Health Bill measures will help to protect children from the millions of pounds spent on tobacco promotion that they claim tempts too many to a lifetime of smoking, years of illness and an early death.

And despite concerns raised by the cigarette industry, shopkeepers have been re-assured by new findings from Ireland, where cigarette displays were moved out of sight in July.

New research shows 82% of people in the North East are concerned about young people starting to smoke.

Around 300,000 children nationally are estimated to try their first cigarette each year. Fresh claims that:

:: Glossy tobacco displays are known to tempt youngsters and quitters. Moving them from sight won’t stop smokers from choosing their favourite brand – most know exactly what they’re buying before entering a shop.

:: Research shows keeping tobacco out of sight helps to reduce teenage smoking. Teenage smoking has dropped in Iceland and some provinces in Canada after displays were removed. These measures would be introduced in 2011 in supermarkets and 2013 in small shops.

:: Around 14% of 11 to 15 year olds who smoke say they usually buy cigarettes from vending machines, although machines make up just 1% of overall cigarette sales.

Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh – Smoke Free North East, said: “This is not about penalising smokers. We have spoken with countless people who although they smoke themselves, want more to be done to stop their children or grandchildren starting.

“Cigarette displays have got larger, brighter and more colourful since advertising was banned and these have a major impact on children and young people. This is about protecting them, not about restricting the rights of those smokers who don’t want to quit.”

Prof Stephen Singleton, North East Regional Director for Public Health: “There is a need for bold and decisive action on both tobacco displays and cigarette vending machines if we are to seriously improve the health of the North East.

“There is broad agreement among health charities and the medical profession, based on solid evidence, that putting cigarettes out of sight and reducing availability from vending machines would be potent measures in helping to reduce the number of children taking up smoking.”