Northern Ireland Charities Welcome Life-Saving Vote on Smoking
The Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition has welcomed the Assembly’s vote, with an overwhelming majority, to progressively raise the age at which young people can buy tobacco products, saying this will save lives.
The new Tobacco and Vapes Bill seeks to make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after 1st January 2009. This would mean that children turning 15 this year will never legally be able to be sold cigarettes. The Bill is currently making its way through the Westminster legislative process, but today’s vote by MLAs means it will become law here too.
Tobacco is the biggest cause of cancer and cancer death in Northern Ireland. It kills around 1,800 people here every year – that’s one person every five hours. It is linked to at least 16 different cancer types and increases the risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions.
With more than 200,000 people still smoking in Northern Ireland and with people in more deprived areas more likely to smoke, it is vital that one of the biggest drivers of cancer and health inequality is urgently tackled to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.
Richard Spratt, Chair of the Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition, said:
“This legislation is lifesaving in that it will help protect future generations in Northern Ireland from the significant harm caused by tobacco. Most people who smoke start when they are young, so increasing the age that people can legally be sold tobacco products could help people from ever taking up a deadly addiction in the first place.
“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer in Northern Ireland and it’s essential everything is done to prevent young people from taking up this harmful habit in the first place.
“This vote in favour of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is momentous in that it marks a significant step towards ending cancers caused by smoking and creating Northern Ireland’s first ever smokefree generation.
“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer in Northern Ireland and its impact devastates families to take action to end can, so this is a historic vote to prevent cancers caused by smoking.”
The Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition is a partnership of 36 community and voluntary organisations with a shared vision across the cancer landscape of improving services and outcomes for cancer patients in Northern Ireland, the promotion of research and prevention efforts, as well as maximising support for people living with cancer.
