MAIN » ARTICLESSmoke on the Streets - Age-limit for buying cigarettes proposed by government
This editorial was first published on livejournal.com on 04.07.2006.
In case you haven't heard, I'll summarise it quickly: The current age for buying Tobacco in the UK is 16. In Australia, U.S.A., Canada etc the age is 18. In the on-going "War on Smoking", legislation is expected to be passed to raise the minimum age in the hope that fewer young people will be able to purchase their favourite smokey treats and therefore rates will continual to fall, with the ban on smoking in public places the coup de grace.
I actually agree with this move, I think it's a positive step to preventing kids/teenagers (especially those younger than 15) from experimenting with something they can't possibly fathom the potential consequences of. At least when you're 18, you've had it drilled into you so much for so long, that you know what can happen and then it's up to you whether you do it or not. Impressionable youth, ignorant bliss, tormented bullying, blind stupidity, whatever reason the estimated 9% of 11-to-15 begin smoking, it isn't a reason that has taken account of the facts and the warnings. I wager most of those 9% laugh at the warnings on those packets at one time or another, I mean, once you've shelled out your pocket money on that packet, you're going to smoke it, right? Levelling out the age restriction on tobacco with that of alcohol makes sense, and it's probably about time. It would be hard to argue against it from an objective POV.
However, I don't think this is the ultimate answer to the problem. Sure, we know teenagers smoke, we know that sometimes those old enough to buy the cigarettes are hooking them up. However, we also know that shop-owners illegally sell these cigarettes to underage kids. There is bound to be frequent cases where someone behind a counter can't be sure - appearences between ages can differ wildly during that period - but surely at the front of anyone sensible person's mind is the question, "They are supposed to be 16. But are they!?", and of course profit is more important than asking a question to a juvenile. Especially if they're a regular.
This proposed action also promises tougher sanctions on shop-owners and that is the part I'm interested in. That is the root of the problem. ID checks should be made on anyone who doesn't appear 18, just as with alcohol, and the penalties for being caught willingly selling tobacco illegally should be much harsher and clearer. Especially to newsagents, supermarkets etc that exist near large high schools where gang-mentality and peer pressure is likely to be at its highest and the tobacco at its most convenient.
Today, The Guardian ends on the point that "in the long run" the problem must be tackled by stopping adults smoking first. All the evidence points to this apparently. OK, well how do we do that? Anyone? The action mentioned above is both feasible and logical in its simplicity, and I believe it'll produce a tangible result in the short-term. The legal age for buying tobacco should be 18. It's time the UK caught up with the times.
Written by Jay
In case you haven't heard, I'll summarise it quickly: The current age for buying Tobacco in the UK is 16. In Australia, U.S.A., Canada etc the age is 18. In the on-going "War on Smoking", legislation is expected to be passed to raise the minimum age in the hope that fewer young people will be able to purchase their favourite smokey treats and therefore rates will continual to fall, with the ban on smoking in public places the coup de grace.
I actually agree with this move, I think it's a positive step to preventing kids/teenagers (especially those younger than 15) from experimenting with something they can't possibly fathom the potential consequences of. At least when you're 18, you've had it drilled into you so much for so long, that you know what can happen and then it's up to you whether you do it or not. Impressionable youth, ignorant bliss, tormented bullying, blind stupidity, whatever reason the estimated 9% of 11-to-15 begin smoking, it isn't a reason that has taken account of the facts and the warnings. I wager most of those 9% laugh at the warnings on those packets at one time or another, I mean, once you've shelled out your pocket money on that packet, you're going to smoke it, right? Levelling out the age restriction on tobacco with that of alcohol makes sense, and it's probably about time. It would be hard to argue against it from an objective POV.
However, I don't think this is the ultimate answer to the problem. Sure, we know teenagers smoke, we know that sometimes those old enough to buy the cigarettes are hooking them up. However, we also know that shop-owners illegally sell these cigarettes to underage kids. There is bound to be frequent cases where someone behind a counter can't be sure - appearences between ages can differ wildly during that period - but surely at the front of anyone sensible person's mind is the question, "They are supposed to be 16. But are they!?", and of course profit is more important than asking a question to a juvenile. Especially if they're a regular.
This proposed action also promises tougher sanctions on shop-owners and that is the part I'm interested in. That is the root of the problem. ID checks should be made on anyone who doesn't appear 18, just as with alcohol, and the penalties for being caught willingly selling tobacco illegally should be much harsher and clearer. Especially to newsagents, supermarkets etc that exist near large high schools where gang-mentality and peer pressure is likely to be at its highest and the tobacco at its most convenient.
Today, The Guardian ends on the point that "in the long run" the problem must be tackled by stopping adults smoking first. All the evidence points to this apparently. OK, well how do we do that? Anyone? The action mentioned above is both feasible and logical in its simplicity, and I believe it'll produce a tangible result in the short-term. The legal age for buying tobacco should be 18. It's time the UK caught up with the times.
Written by Jay