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Tough cigarette controls considered

Cigarette vending machines and packets of 10 could be outlawed under government plans aimed at preventing children and young people smoking.

The plans, which include banning branding and logos, apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, a new TV advert campaign is targeting parents who smoke. The adverts warn that children of smokers are three times more likely to take up the habit than those of non-smokers.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said it was vital to take away temptation from children.

"Protecting children from smoking is a government priority and taking away temptation is one way to do this," she said.

"If banning brightly coloured packets, removing cigarettes from display and removing the cheap option of a pack of 10 helps save lives, then that is what we should do, but we want to hear everyone's views first."

Martin Dockrell, from the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: "These sorts of measures are not going to have an overnight effect, but we think they will over time."

A YouGov poll commissioned by ASH of 3,330 people found that 65% supported a complete ban on cigarette vending machines, while 43% favoured the introduction of plain packaging.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, from the British Medical Association, which represents doctors, said: "It is essential that cigarettes are made more inaccessible to children."

"We need to break the tobacco trap.

Young smokers will become tomorrow's parents who smoke and they will continue the cycle of smoking-related ill-health and premature death."

The Department of Health says point-of-sale advertising can encourage young people to start smoking, so it is suggesting putting cigarettes below the counter in future.

It also suggests the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes, carrying only the product name in standard lettering.

The consultation paper will be published in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Tobacco Manufacturers' Association said it "completely agrees with the government that children should not smoke and should be actively discouraged from doing so".

But its director, Chris Ogden, added: "While we welcome any sensible proposals that will assist in preventing the sale of tobacco to children under the age of 18, any proposals should be supported by credible evidence that they would address the government's stated objectives."

Smokers' lobby group Forest warned that banning point-of-sale display could make smoking even more attractive to teenagers, and could increase the appeal of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes.

Spokesman Neil Rafferty said: "In one Canadian province, youth smoking actually went up in the first 18 months after a display ban was introduced.

The proposals follow a series of restrictions on smoking in the UK which have come into force over the last couple of years.

Source: BBC News, 31st May 2008
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Other coverage: The Guardian; The Independent; The Mirror; The Telegraph

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