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Cigarette age limit rises to 18
From today, the legal minimum age to buy tobacco in England, Scotland and Wales has been raised from 16 to 18 years old.
The new limit applies to sales of cigarettes, cigars, pipe and loose tobacco and cigarette rolling papers.
Retailers who sell a tobacco product to someone under the legal age may be fined up to £2,500, while those not displaying updated signage could have to pay £1,000.
Anti-smoking pressure group ASH has welcomed the change. Commenting, research manager Amanda Sandford said: 'This is a positive measure and will help reinforce the message that tobacco is extremely hazardous to health and that its use by young people should be avoided.'
Simon Clark, director of smokers' lobby group Forest also said that he welcomed measures to stop children smoking. However, he told BBC News: 'You're considered old enough to have sex at 16, drive a car and join the army at 17, but the government doesn't want you to smoke until you're 18.'
Category: Healthy Lifestyle
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