I don't get the new smoking law...

[nothercules]

Why is it you soon won't be allowed to buy a packet of fags until you are 18 but can drive a car, get married (with parents permission) and have kids?

Btw I hate smoking and see the age being raised as a good thing although not sure how much of a difference it will make.

[LucyJones]

I guess it's because you aren't fully grown until you are 18 and it's the health risks... although you could argue driving a car is just as dangerous...

[Tinker]

Because fags are addictive and can kill you and marriage, driving and kids are not necesarily?

[southeastastra]

because the earlier you start the worse it is, they were saying on the radio that they expect loads of trouble as tons of teenagers are already addicted.

[Tinker]

typos! sorry

[nothercules]

Yes, I get your points but what I don't get is that on the one hand you are apparently mature enough to drive a car and do all those other complex life changing things but can't decide whether you should smoke or not.

[nothercules]

No, I can't think of any reason to keep it at 16.

[WigWamBam]

It may also be because a 12 year old can pass for a 16 year old, but might have more difficulty passing for an 18 year old. So maybe younger children will have more difficulty getting cigarettes in the first place, so may end up not smoking at all. If the age is going up to 18, there will still be 16 year olds who can get cigarettes - but maybe it will be possible to stop the younger ones starting.

[tribpot]

I think it's an anomaly that's being corrected. FWIW, I think the age for marriage should be raised to 18 as well, but that leaves an issue of being allowed to have sex legally but not get married.

[nothercules]

Interesting Tinkle, not thought of it in that way i.e being allowed to have sex but not allowed to be married.

[paulaplumpbottom]

I also think that after 18 you are less likely to start. I started when I was 17, although I have quit now. I am sure some do start after that age but I bet the majority start younger.

[Skribble]

You can't buy alcohol until 18 so makes sense to bring age for ciggarettes in line with that. Ok you can marrieed at 16 but you can't buy you guests a drink at the bar .

[SparklyGothKat]

Its harder to buy fags when the age is 18. I never had a problem when it was 16, but Asda recently changed the age to 18, and I was asked for ID (I am nearly 28) I think its a good thing TBH

[charliecat]

When you dabble in fags at a young age you dont REALLY think your going to spend the rest of your life doing it, at a HUGE financial cost and health risk. Upping the age might stop a few older looking 14 year olds from being able to buy them...till they are 16...lol...but the right sentiment is there I think.
Smokings awful.

[SparklyGothKat]

And TBH, you can have sex at 16, but you can;t watch it till you are 18, same argument!

[QuootiepieTheHogmanayAss]

Apparently your more likely to die if you smoke at 15, than in your 20's, its easier to ID things like that. Ill get the article I read...

[QuootiepieTheHogmanayAss]

The legal age for buying tobacco is to be raised from 16 to 18, the Government has announced.

Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said the new law would come into effect from October 1. Campaigners welcomed the move, but raised concerns over how the law would be enforced.

Government statistics show that 9% of young people aged between 11 and 15 smoke - down from 13% in 1996.

It wants to drive the figure down even further and believes that raising the limit will make it easier for retailers to spot under-age smokers.




The Government launched a public consultation in July on whether the limit should be raised to 17 or 18 or left as it is. A ban on smoking in enclosed public places comes into effect on July 1 but the NHS and Government buildings will be smoke-free from Monday.

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. Buying cigarettes has been too easy for under 16s, and this is partly due to retailers selling tobacco to those under the legal age.

"The law change demonstrates our determination to stop this and to reduce the number of teenagers who smoke. This, in turn, will reduce the number of people with preventable diseases and the incidence of health inequalities."

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association (BMA), said: "Far more needs to be done to discourage children from smoking, and increasing the age limit to 18 would be a step in the right direction. However, the new limit is only going to be effective if it is properly enforced and part of a broad set of actions designed to discourage young people from starting to smoke."

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

What WWB said.

[paulaplumpbottom]

I don't understand why they can't make them illegal period.

[Pann]

Oh yes it can!!

it's the massive take in tax that the govt. can't let go.

[fortyplus]

The argument put forward is that by raising the age at which you can buy tobacco to 18 it will be easier for shopkeepers to spot those who are under age. Presume it's still legal to smoke at 16?
I hate the bloody things - they killed my dad.