BMA Northern Ireland Welcomes Announcement To Raise Age For Purchase Of Tobacco

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 01 Jul 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Doctors in Northern Ireland have welcomed the NI Health Minister's announcement, to raise the age for the purchase of tobacco products to 18.

Dr Colin Hamilton, Chairman of the BMA's Public Health Committee in Northern Ireland, said: "We are pleased that the NI Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey MLA, will be introducing legislation to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 18.

"This will go some way to saving the lives of many people who frequently take up smoking when too young to be concerned about its life threatening consequences."

In its response to the DHSSPS recent consultation on whether or not the minimum age for the purchase of tobacco products should be raised, BMA(NI) called for it to be raised to 18. In addition:

- that the DHSSPS must ensure smoking cessation services are adequately funded and resourced;

- smoking cessation services should be targeted at high risk groups which include those in the lower socio-economic groups, pregnant mothers, those with mental health problems and children who are looked after by the state, in foster care or in institutional settings:

- cigarettes should not be displayed at the point of sale and tobacco vending machines should be banned;

- legislation to ban the sale of packs of ten cigarettes should be introduced;

- a positive licensing scheme, already in place for shops that wish to sell alcohol, should be introduced. This would bring tobacco sales into line with alcohol sales.

British Medical Association