Health Act 2009

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) led the successful campaign to ban the sale of cigarettes through vending machines.

Vending machines are an easy source of cigarettes for children and the BHF wants to reduce the number of young people who are putting their health at risk by smoking.

Vending machines provide an easy source of cigarettes for children

• In 2008, 12 per cent of children and young people who were regular smokers usually bought their cigarettes from vending machines in England.

• Based on these latest available figures, the British Heart Foundation estimates that 23,000 11-15 year old regular smokers access their cigarettes through vending machines in England and Wales and that 851 regular smokers accessed cigarettes from vending machines in Northern Ireland.

• The raising of the age limit for cigarettes from 16 to 18 means there may now be more underage smokers accessing cigarettes from vending machines.

• An ASH survey from 2008 revealed that only one in 20 adult regular smokers used these machines, and even then their use was occasional rather than regular.

The need for a consistent approach for age-limited products

• Other age-limited products such as alcohol, fireworks, solvents and knives can only be bought in a face-to-face transaction over the counter.

• It is inconceivable to imagine alcohol or knives being sold through vending machines.

• The fact that cigarettes continue to be available in this way is an anomaly which must be tackled to protect children from the harm of tobacco.
  
• Interview with Peter Hollins, BHF Chief Executive
• ePolitix.com article about event
• Click below to view our 5 minute film

Other documents:

• Briefing Paper - Cigarette vending machines are out of order
• Final Policy Statement on Tobacco Controls
• Rt Hon Ian McCartney's intervention in favour of a ban on cigarette vending machines - Second Reading, 8th June
• Lord Crisp's speech in favour of a ban on tobacco vending machines at Committee Stage in the Lords - 9th March 2009 See Column GC410
• BHF campaign webpage
• Smoking and Your Health - How to Quit

The BHF is a member of the Smoke Free Action Coalition which is an alliance of over 80 organisations committed to promoting public health. We came together initially to lobby for smokefree workplaces and are now committed to working for a comprehensive strategy to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.

In Wales, the BHF are members of the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance which is an alliance of over 20 organisations in Wales who are working to achieve a coordinated tobacco control strategy for Wales that will progressively reduce the harm caused by tobacco.

Smokefree Action is encouraging MPs to support measures in the Bill:

(a) to prohibit the display of tobacco at PoS;

(b) to prohibit tobacco vending machines as soon as possible;

(c) the inclusion of reserve powers to introduce plain packaging for all tobacco products.

To support this wider campaign please sign EDMs:

• 554: Plain Packaging of Tobacco Products
• 189: Point of Sale Display of Tobacco Products