'From 1st October 2007 it's going to become illegal to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 18 (an increase from 16) in England and Wales. The change will include cigarettes, cigars, tobacco for roll your own and pipes as well as rolling papers.'

 

Why the law is changing:

 

'Figures show that most addicted adult smokers began smoking as teenagers. The change in law is to help prevent people from starting in the first place, so that they can avoid the serious health dangers of smoking.

 

Smoking tobacco is addictive, causing serious harm and can have a dramatic effect on your appearance and attractiveness. Here are some reasons behind the change in the law:

 

One in two lifelong smokers will be killed by their addiction.

The younger a smoker starts, the more likely they are to be killed by their addiction.

Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer due to smoking as someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s.'

 

Clicky

 

What does everyone make of this?

 

Discuss B)

Well it is going to be the same as drinking as you have to be 18 to do that and you still get underage drinkers, as it is cool to do it as you have to be 18. Also people who are currently 16 and 17 who smoke (legally) will once again have it illegal for them to do so, so creating 2 extra years of underage smokers.

 

This move has also been done really quitely, and sneakily as if they don't want people to know about it. I only found out cause where I work, (well ment to work off cause of my back) sent me a letter about it.

I think it makes sense to be honest, fags are just as 'bad' as alcohol.

 

On the other hand, if kids wanna smoke fags then they will, but I suppose raising the purchase age will make it even harder for younger people to get hold of them.

 

I do feel sorry for those smokers who have just turned 16 though - they'll be stocking up from now until October :lol:

 

 

This move has also been done really quitely, and sneakily as if they don't want people to know about it. I only found out cause where I work, (well ment to work off cause of my back) sent me a letter about it.

 

I heard about it sometime at the beginning of the year and have just spotted an advert on myspace :lol:

I'm going to stock up before October 1st. :D I don't smoke much anyway.

Whats the point of lowering the age of when you can buy sigs if you dont lower the age of when your allowed to smoke. Pointless

It's so typical :lol: 1 month before I can legally buy fags and they raise it to 18!

 

I suppose it gives me the incentive to quit though :P

It's so typical :lol: 1 month before I can legally buy fags and they raise it to 18!

 

I suppose it gives me the incentive to quit though :P

 

Dont smoke Darren Please -_- :(

Its a bad thing.. I never should of tried 1

Whats the point of lowering the age of when you can buy sigs if you dont lower the age of when your allowed to smoke. Pointless

Is that what is happening? :o That's a bit daft. :lol:

Oh well, i'm 18 in November anyway, so it will only affect me for a month :P

 

But i dont need ID when i buy cigs anyway, as apparantly i look 21 :lol:

Edited September 3, 200717 yr by *Ryan*

Is that what is happening? :o That's a bit daft. :lol:

 

Well I think they sort of go hand in hand really.

I think the purchase age/smoking age is the same thing.

 

The idea is only people of 18 will be able to buy fags and therefore only people of 18 will be able to smoke. I think :unsure:

 

They wouldn't raise a purchase age and not a using age.

 

I'm confused :wacko:

Well I think they sort of go hand in hand really.

I think the purchase age/smoking age is the same thing.

 

The idea is only people of 18 will be able to buy fags and therefore only people of 18 will be able to smoke. I think :unsure:

 

They wouldn't raise a purchase age and not a using age.

 

I'm confused :wacko:

 

 

I presumed that because it didnt say anything in the arcticle..

I may be wrong tho :mellow:

and?

 

as if thats going to prevent under 18's smoking!

it wont stop ppl smoking! x

I think it makes sense to bring the age you can start smoking into line with the age you can start drinking. Sure, anyone determined enough to smoke under age will still find ways to do so, but I don't think we should stop making laws just because some people are still going to break them. Might as well have no laws at all in that case!

 

Smoking kills. Those it doesn't kill it makes unhealthy. That's just the way it is.

I work part time at Tesco and apart from one tiny tiny sticker by the cigarette kiosk nothing has been said about this - they are being very quiet and sneaky about it.

I don't think it'll change much. Back when I was at school the sixth formers/those who looked over 16 used to buy cigarettes and sell them to the 11 - 15 year olds anyway for extortionate prices like £1 a fag!!!

I think that the smoking ban will have more effect than this.

It all seems a bit quick to put in the ban.. I havnt herd anything off it realy...

As several posters have pointed out this has, indeed, been done very quietly and very sneakily by this Govt. One would think that, given the huge publicity surrounding the banning of smoking in public places, the Govt would make as much of big noise about this one as well, trotting out legions of experts to say it's all for our own good.. But, the fact that it's being done on the sly like this almost gives the impression that they've got something to hide tbh.. Not that it's going to really do anything, most of the tobacco addicts I know of were smoking well before the current legal age.... -_-

As several posters have pointed out this has, indeed, been done very quietly and very sneakily by this Govt. One would think that, given the huge publicity surrounding the banning of smoking in public places, the Govt would make as much of big noise about this one as well, trotting out legions of experts to say it's all for our own good.. But, the fact that it's being done on the sly like this almost gives the impression that they've got something to hide tbh.. Not that it's going to really do anything, most of the tobacco addicts I know of were smoking well before the current legal age.... -_-

 

This may be the reason they're keeping relatively quiet on this one. It's a bit of legislative "tidying-up" rather than anything that's going to affect anything.

If it means fewer 13-14 year-olds buy cigarettes it will have achieved something. However, prosecutions for selling cigarettes to people under-age are fairly rare. If the current laws were enforced there would be little point in raising the age. After all, most smokers started smoking before they were 16.