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The Department of Health has today launched an outdoor advertising campaign in advance of raising the age of sale for tobacco products from 16 to 18 on 1 October. From this date, retailers will be required by law not to sell tobacco products to under 18s and will need to display a statutory notice stating the new legal age restriction.

And with one week to go until the change in legislation, new research by YouGov has revealed that 74 per cent of adults in the South West believe it makes sense to raise the minimum age for the sale of tobacco to 18 in line with alcohol. This backs up evidence from Ireland that shows the same law change there played a key role in reducing prevalence of teenage smoking.

Dr Gabriel Scally, Regional Director of Public Health at NHS South West said: "It is encouraging that so many people support the new legislation coming into effect on 1 October. Raising the minimum age for the sale of tobacco from 16 to 18 is a big step forward in public health. It means that teenagers are less likely to get addicted to nicotine at such an early age."

Fiona Andrews, Department of Health Tobacco Policy Manager said, "The younger a smoker starts, the more likely they are to be killed by their addiction.

Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer due to smoking than someone who starts in their mid-20s."

The outdoor advertising is the culmination of an awareness campaign over the past four months to ensure that both retailers and teenagers are aware of the forthcoming law change.

In addition to the advertising launched today, a direct mailing campaign has sent legislation toolkits to over 100,000 retailers informing them of the change and providing shop display information. There has also been substantial stakeholder engagement with groups representing retailers and age of sale schemes, and presence in relevant media. In recent weeks the campaign has advertised on social networking sites popular with teenagers.

The campaign is backed up by two websites: - www.tobacco18.co.uk - which is aimed at young people directly affected - www.tobaccoagechange.co.uk - for retailers and other stakeholders interested in the change Accompanied by the strapline You can try, but it won't work', the ads feature teenagers trying to look older whilst asking for cigarettes in a shop. Copies of the ads and pictures of them in situ are available from the contact details below. Some can also be viewed at http://www.tobaccoagechange.co.uk/signage.html#poster

4:53pm Friday 21st September 2007

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