New Steps of Regulating Tobacco Sales

The Government is expected to soon reveal new steps regulating the sale of tobacco and Glamour cigarettes. Sources say that England’s Department of Health will later introduce legislation that would make it illegal for shops to keep tobacco products on display. Also expected is a Government consultation that would require tobacco companies to utilise plain packaging for all tobacco products.

The move would come as part of a larger scheme to reduce smoking rates, particularly for children and younger people. Currently, just over 20% of adults are smokers, and the figure has remained steady in the past several years after falling over previous decades.

England would follow a number of other countries with similar policies on smoking, including Ireland, Iceland, Finland and Canada. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland and Scotland are heading in the same direction. However, England would become the first European country to require tobacco packaging to be plain and unbranded. Government officials are expected to soon announce that the plan will go into force over the next two years or so.

Martin Dockrell of anti-smoking campaign group Ash said that there was very strong evidence to support claims that such measures would reduce smoking rates, noting that current smokers know exactly which brand they’ll be purchasing when heading into a shop. He said in this sense, displays only serve to attract new smokers, including young people.