19/02/2014

NIA Backs Law To Tackle Tobacco Sales To Children

The Northern Ireland Assembly has approved a new law to tackle the sale of tobacco to children, target adults who buy tobacco products for children and introduce steps to deal with persistent offenders.

The latest study shows that 8% of 11 to 16-year-olds use tobacco, while in Northern Ireland some 2,300 people die each year from smoking-relating illnesses.

According to Mr Poots, most smokers took up the habit before adulthood, with more than 357,000 adult smokers, a quarter of the total population.

Each year hospitals record about 17,000 tobacco-related admissions and the estimated costs of treating tobacco-related diseases are £164m each year.

(CVS/MH)

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