Lucy Holdstock presents the Department of Health findings on tobacco displays. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0807053)
JUST one retailer attended a meeting aimed at discussing the planned changes to the law on tobacco displays.
Health promotion officer Gerry Le Roy said she was disappointed with the turnout after small retailers had voiced strong opposition to the proposed ban.
But she said it had not been a waste of time.
Tobacco policy manager from the UK Department of Health Lucy Holdstock laid out the issues Britain has faced with bringing in a ban on tobacco displays at the meeting.
Mrs Le Roy said the evening had been helpful.
‘It was interesting to get the views from the retailer,’ she said. ‘We want everyone to feel they have been consulted and given access to the information about the ban. We want this to be made a positive experience, not a negative one.’
The presentation will be uploaded to the States website in the future, so retailers will be able to see the issues raised.
Miss Holdstock has been talking to deputies and health professionals about how the UK has been looking into banning tobacco displays.
She said the Government had left tobacco displays as a loophole in laws against smoking advertising.
‘Displays are now the main way to promote tobacco. It makes it harder for people to quit smoking.’
She said the Government was also concerned about how the displays attracted children.
‘They are brightly lit and the centre of attention. They are often in brightly coloured packaging and sold near sweets.’
If young people had not started smoking by 21, they were much less likely to take up the habit.
‘Legislation is not always the right course of action,’ she said.
‘But smoking can be a lifelong problem. It needs to be faced.’
One of the ways suggested to sell tobacco products was to either keep them in overhead lockers, under the counter or to cover displays with slats.
‘These slats could then be used for [non-tobacco] advertising.’
Tobacco vending machines were an issue that Guernsey and the UK have been facing.
Miss Holdstock said the UK has been looking at tackling the problem.
‘We don’t want to ban them if it’s not necessary, but we do think they need an age restriction.
‘Either they could be operated by staff, who can verify the age of the buyer, or they can be sold behind the bar.’
Article posted on 15th July, 2009 - 2.29pm
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