Charity urges MSs to support Age of Sale tobacco legislation
Up to 470,000 fewer cigarettes could be smoked each day in Wales by 2040 if new laws are passed to increase the age of sale of tobacco, according to a leading cancer charity.
The analysis by Cancer Research UK has been published to show the potential impact of the proposed legislation to reduce smoking rates.
The UK Government’s new Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009.
This means that children turning 15 this year will never legally be able to be sold cigarettes.
Profound impact
Supporters of the legislation say this could have a profound impact in Wales, where tobacco kills one person every hour.
Smoking is the largest preventable cause of cancer in Wales, causing around 3,100 cases of the disease each year.
There are currently around 325,000 smokers in Wales, 13% of the population.
The Bill is currently making its way through the Westminster legislative process. To become law in Wales, MSs also need to scrutinise the Bill and approve it via a vote in the Senedd.
Cancer Research UK is urging politicians in Wales to support the Bill and vote for its implementation as soon as possible.
‘Lifesaving’
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “This legislation is lifesaving in that it will help protect future generations in Wales from the significant harm caused by tobacco.
“By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, politicians in Wales will be bringing us one step closer towards the first ever smokefree generation.
“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer in Wales and its impact devastates families. Now is the time for politicians to take action to end cancers caused by smoking.
“Most people who smoke start when they are young, so increasing the age that people can legally be sold tobacco products could help people from ever taking up a deadly addiction in the first place.”
Evidence shows that smoking rates go down with government action and the charity says Age of Sale legislation is a vital next step in reducing the number of smokers.
Cancer Research UK’s information for readers who want to stop smoking can be found here.
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Wales could be a world leader and ban smoking totaly make it illegal to smoke put up signs at the borders to warn tourists and travellers, think how much money could be saved within the NHS alone andd ban vaping at the same time think of the country go on senedd.
Just ban it already. Tell the smoking lobby groups to take a long walk off a short pier.