Cigarette ban mooted for Guernsey's youngsters

Wednesday 08 May 2024

Guernsey could follow the UK in effectively preventing today's children from ever being able to buy cigarettes.

Deputies Peter Roffey and Lindsey de Sausmarez want HSC to look at ways a ban could be introduced here.

The UK's Conservative government has already decided to stop anyone born after 2009 from ever being able to buy cigarettes.

The new law there means that the legal minimum age for purchasing cigarettes will increase by one year each year. It's currently 18 - as it is in Guernsey - but children born in 2009, who will turn 18 in 2027, and those younger than them will always fall below the minimum age as it rises. 

The UK's law will only affect the legal age to buy cigarettes, not the act of smoking, but the idea is that fewer youngsters will take up the habit and eventually it will be eradicated. 

The law - which the UK hopes to bring in before 2027 - will not affect those who are already allowed to buy cigarettes but any shop flouting the new minimum age limit will face fines.

Pictured: Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party will ban children born after 2009 from ever buying cigarettes as they grow older.

Following the landmark decision in the UK, Deputies Roffey and de Sausmarez want to see what could be done here to reduce the number of people taking up smoking.

They are not asking for a ban of any sort yet, but instead they want the island's Committee for Health and Social Care to explore if one could work here. 

This amendment will be put to the States during a debate on tobacco legislation, with a proposal to ban smoking in cars where children are present. 

The States will be asked if they agree that HSC should be instructed "to investigate the possibility of increasing the age of persons to whom it is legal to sell tobacco or tobacco products in Guernsey". If the States agree this is a good idea, HSC will have to report back by the end of next year.

In their explanatory note, Deputies Roffey and de Sausmarez said that "it is unusual for people to take up smoking for the first time at a mature age. Therefore reducing smoking amongst the young would be of great benefit in further reducing the overall prevalence of smoking in Guernsey."

They acknowledge that a ban similar to Sunak's in the UK won't be the answer to all smoking related issues, but they say it will go a long way towards eradicating smoking here.

"While making it illegal to sell tobacco to young adults would not necessarily stop them accessing the drug, it would probably make it less readily availability to this age group," they wrote.

"It is accepted that there may be counter arguments of either a practical or a libertarian nature. Therefore rather than simply proposing raising the age concerned we are asking for an investigation which will allow for proper consultation within our community."

The States are due to debate the proposed ban on adults smoking in cars with children present and an enabling law to regulate vapes later this month. The amendment will be put to the States during that debate.