Balance needed to cut smoking

11:17am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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SMOKING has been in the news again. The Department of Health is considering consultation later this spring to examine ways of discouraging children from smoking.

Tobacco displays in shops and cigarette vending machines in pubs could be banned in a bid to reduce smoking and discourage children from starting.

Whether shops should be banned from displaying cigarettes that is a very good question. I would personally support this move.

This practice has been successfully adopted in Australia.

The proposals follow the ban on smoking in public places last July. There will certainly be a reduction in healthcare costs.

We all know smoking kills. It will certainly save billions of pounds for the NHS and more importantly save many lives.

While I applaud the Government for taking an active interest and doing their part to reduce smoking, I feel a balance is needed. I am a non-smoker.

But, if cigarettes become too expensive and too difficult to get hold of, it's likely people's demand will be filled by the black market, allowing criminals to profit at the expense of the Government.

Make smoking tough, but not too tough. The Government should therefore take the necessary steps to reduce smoking, especially in children.

COUNCILLOR SALIM MULLA (via email).