A public consultation will launch on Monday 8 December on a draft Bill to amend the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2006.
The changes proposed include:
- A ban on tobacco displays
- Further controls on tobacco advertising
- A ban on the sale of tobacco products from vending machines
- The introduction of the ability to issue fixed penalty notices (fines) for smoking offences.
This final change will be applied to proposed new regulations which will ban smoking in vehicles where children are present.
Commenting on the draft Bill, Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said:
'In 2012 the former Department of Health ran a consultation on several options which could strengthen the Island’s smokefree legislation. The Department carefully considered the feedback received, which showed strong support for a number of measures and which I am pleased the Department can now take forward.
'The Island’s Tobacco Strategy is quite clear – we must do all that we can to prevent our young people from easily accessing tobacco products. There has been growing concern that children are purchasing tobacco products from vending machines, which are often not supervised, meaning that age checks cannot take place.
'In addition we propose to ban tobacco displays in shops and further restrict the ability to advertise tobacco products. There is evidence that such displays influence young people and increase the likelihood of them taking up smoking. Evidence also shows that such displays increase the likelihood of impulse buying.'
Although a change to the law in 2006 brought in a ban on smoking inside public buildings in order to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke; Government has determined that more needs to be done to protect children. The draft Bill’s provisions for fixed penalty notices for smoking offences would be applicable for proposed regulations to ban smoking in vehicles where children are present.
The Minister concluded:
'Campaigns to raise awareness, initiatives to educate the public, and changes to the law have all been successful in reducing the numbers of people smoking. Smoking has a detrimental and often devastating effect on an individual’s health which increases pressure on our health service.
'We must continue to do all that we can to prevent people taking up smoking and to support those who currently smoke but wish to quit. I am confident that this change to the law, if approved, will be a very positive step in reducing the numbers of those smoking and will help to protect future generations.
The consultation will run until Monday 19 January 2015. Copies of the consultation document, which includes the draft Bill, are available online at www.gov.im/dhsc or by contacting the Department on +44 1624 685005 or emailing kate.usher@gov.im
