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GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE A VOICE! |
Your Voice! Smoking Age
11th October 2007
This month we took to the streets to see what you think of the new law that stops you buying cigarettes till you are 18. Here’s what two young non-smokers and a smoker think.
Leah Burton, a smoker, aged 18, says:
 I think the new age restriction on buying cigarettes will affect young people to some extent. As a smoker I know that if I was 16 or 17 and suddenly had my right to buy cigarettes taken away then I would certainly have to consider giving up.
However for those that continue to smoke, I don’t think that not being allowed to buy cigarettes will stop them from smoking.
Having that right taken away from them however will probably influence them to try and gain access to cigarettes other than buying them themselves.
Emma Castle, a non-smoker, aged 17, says:
 As a non-smoker I think that the new age limit on buying cigarettes is a positive change.
I think this will make it harder for younger people to buy cigarettes and will hopefully start to reduce the amount of young people who start smoking in the first place.
This, and the new laws on smoking in public places will hopefully cause a change in the social appeal young people see in smoking.
 Alex Brent, a non-smoker, aged 18, says:
My opinion of the rise in the age to buy cigarettes is that it is a wise decision. I am all for the increase as it will help people realise just how dangerous it can be.
At the age of 16 it is considered ‘cool’ whereas at 18 they have a chance to see a more mature and knowledgeable attitude towards it and less peer pressure to smoke from others around them.
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