Saturday, March 12, 2011

England, out of sight, out of mind. Get rid of the cigarettes from the view of the customers

Since 2012, cigarettes will disappear from the view of the customers in the British tobacco and other exercises are authorized to sell. They will always be on sale, just do not have to be more visible to customers. Out of sight, out of mind. The British health minister, Andrew Lansley, wanted this provision to "radically change the opinion of society towards smoking." In a parliamentary statement said: "Smoking is undoubtedly one of the largest and most stubborn problems in the public greeting, which each year causes more than 80 thousand deaths." Get rid of the cigarettes from the shelves then, with a provision which aims primarily to protect, in proactively, the youngest and adolescents from the dangers of smoking.

Exceptions can be admitted that in "limited circumstances", will not penalize or rather, the exercises that show cigarettes. Among the cases, the periods of inventory in stores and where the exercise is ongoing maintenance. The new line of anti-smoking conservative government following a strategy initiated by the previous Labor government's Brown.

Having banned smoking from public places by July 2007, the required age to purchase cigarettes was increased to 18 years and were eliminated vending machines in the streets. More recently, it was forbidden to big tobacco brands to sponsor sporting events. The objective of the health ministry, said Lansley, is to decrease the number of smokers from 21 to 18 percent, 5 percent among adults, 15 to 12 percent among young people, and from 14 to 11 percent in pregnant women by the end of 2015.

According to Ministry data, the smokers in the UK are more than 8 million out of a population of 62. "We are pleased with the choice of the government, which has not succumbed to pressure from the tobacco lobby," said Deborah Arnott, director of the group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

"It has created a strong political consensus among the parties on the need for the battle against smoking as a priority public health." According to Arnott, this hard line would have a strong popular support, but the answers are not the new rule all the best. Andrew Opie, delBritish Retail Consortium, said: "There is no evidence that leads us to believe that forcing shops to hide cigarettes will make no real difference," adding that it will increase costs for retailers (which will change the spaces in their exercises), and the inconvenience to customers, who will have to wait longer to be served.

Another merchants association, the Association of Convenience Stores, said that law enforcement in all the years will cost up to £ 40 million - an absurd figure according to the organization, in the absence of guarantees that a positive result in decrease in smoking. Even individual retailers are skeptical.

"I do not think that works. Customers know that we sell cigarettes will buy them anyway, so do not make any difference, "says Sam Tahir, who runs a tobacco shop in the area of \u200b\u200bKilburn in London. "Even I question the need to raise prices, because smokers still pay a high price.

Information campaigns could do more, yes, but it makes no sense to penalize shops like mine. "Omair Anwer, owner of a small local supermarket that sells cigarettes, is of the same opinion:" If you smoke 15, 20 years will not stop sure why not see the cigarettes at the counter. Will ask and will anyway.

"According to him, the rule will not be effective even as prevention for young people. "There is already the law that prevents it from selling cigarettes to persons under 18 years" - says Anwer - "If a guy wants a package, ask for a document, and if no adult is not selling anything. That see it or not, it can not buy.

"Kaloczi For Sarah, 27, a smoker," is dependent on social environment in which children live, not the shops that sell cigarettes. " "That 's what has to change if you want to get results," he adds. Next target of legislation, still under construction, will be the standard package, the same for all brands.

White or brown, have written only the name of the product and will have no other images or colors, to minimize the marketing of the producers.

No comments:

Post a Comment