The Law for selling Tobacco has changed

From the 1st October 2007 it will be against the law to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 in England and Wales. The change will include cigarettes, cigars, tobacco for roll-your-own and pipes as well as rolling papers sold both over the counter and through vending machines.

Trading Standards Officers will continue to enforce the law relating to the sale of tobacco products to under-age consumers. The penalty for selling tobacco products to someone under the age of 18 from 1st October 2007 is a fine of up to £2,500.

However, what has not been made clear in this change of law, that to be honest hardly anyone knows about, is can you still smoke if you are under 18. Well nobody is clear on that issue.

This week, Cllr Mann has spoken to both Trading Standards and the Police in Havering and they are both not sure, they both say quite rightly that shops can not sell any smoking products, but did not know the exact answer in can a 16 or 17 year old smoke, as long as they do not buy them.

If this is the case, then it make s a mockery of the whole change in law, as you will just get the big brother or mum and dad issue where they will buy cigarettes for them !

Perhaps next time Government bring in a change of law, it can be done in a more open and transparent manner and people can be consulted properly, that way you will not get the issue we have now where it is illegal to buy something, but not to use it.

For more information on the changes go to www.tobaccoagechange.co.uk