New crackdown aims to put an end to underage smoking across the city
NEW measures are being introduced across Lincoln to help tackle underage smokers.
Over the next year, a new project from Lincolnshire Trading Standards will aim to reduce the number of teenage smokers illegally buying cigarettes by cracking down on licence holders.
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The first step will be to contact all relevant businesses in the city to advise and educate on the laws controlling sales of tobacco.
There will then be a series of tobacco test purchase operations carried out in Lincoln.
The tests will use volunteers aged well below 18, who will make attempts to buy tobacco from retailers while accompanied by Trading Standards officers.
If a sale is made this, will provide Lincolnshire Trading Standards with evidence that the retailer has sold to a person under the age of 18 and action will then be taken.
Gary Seymour, assistant head of Lincolnshire Trading Standards, explained the businesses will be held responsible in the event of an illegal sale.
He said: "If businesses or members of staff have the slightest doubt whether or not a customer is old enough to buy cigarettes, then they should always ask for an approved proof of age.
"If a customer does not have identification, a sale should not be made.
"Businesses will be held responsible for the actions of their staff and employers must ensure that all employees are trained in this area."
Ros Watson, co-ordinator at the Smokefree Lincs Alliance, added that retailers needed to take responsibility. She said: "This work is part of a number of initiatives around the county which aim to raise awareness among the public and businesses of underage smoking. Tobacco products are age restricted for a reason."
The legal age to buy tobacco in England was raised from 16 to 18 in October 2007.
Stephanie Heathcote, the healthy families co-ordinator for Phoenix Stop Smoking Service, said that teenagers needed to think about the effect smoking has on their lives.
She said: "Smoking can effect fitness, cause breathing problems and ruin long-term health. It also costs a lot of money, which prevents them from buying the things they want."
3 Comments
by steve, lincoln
Thursday, August 05 2010, 8:59PM
“you'll never stop kids smoking. My parents never smoked, yet somehow I started at about 13, although in modern terms I was a late starter.
I wish I'd never started smoking and after 25 years of this filthy habit worry on a regular basis about cancer and respiratory disease.
The problem isn't the cost to smoke. Whilst I buy all my tobacco products legally, it's as easy to buy dodgy/duty free tobacco these days as it is to buy a pint of milk.
It takes very little time to get addicted to fags and sometimes a lifetime to quit. Where education, smoking bans and taxation have failed, maybe more sufferers of smoking related disease paying visits to school might.”
by lynn, lincoln
Thursday, August 05 2010, 9:53AM
“I don't know how young people, or anyone for that matter can afford to smoke. They must be receiving too much pocket money.”
by rick, lincoln
Thursday, August 05 2010, 8:01AM
“"The legal age to buy tobacco in England was raised from 16 to 18 in October 2007"
this law was pointless really as it is still legal for 16 year olds to smoke cigarettes even though they cant legally buy them.”