Tough new blitz on cigs adverts

From the archive, first published Tuesday 21st Dec 2004.

TOUGH new measures to further restrict the advertising of cigarettes and tobacco products in shops, pubs and clubs come into force today.

The total space taken up in advertising for all tobacco companies at kiosks and other places selling cigarettes will now be limited to an A5-sized area - around the size of a paperback book.

This space will also have to include a health warning taking up 30 per cent of the area.

The regulations also mean that vending machines will only be able to carry a picture of the products on sale.

The restrictions will be enforced by Trading Standards officers and violations will lead to fines of up to £5,000 or five months in prison.

Regulations

The Department of Health said the new regulations - part of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act - were among the strictest in the world.

Health Secretary John Reid was today launching the new-look tobacco counter at an Asda supermarket in London.

The crackdown comes after a victory by the DoH in a legal battle against the tobacco manufacturers in their bid to overturn the regulations in October.

Every year around 106,000 people die as a result of smoking in the UK.

Dr Reid said: "We are committed to tackling this and have already made huge strides by reducing the number of people who smoke by 1.2 million since 1998."

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