Alex recently backed a new study which shows that Ireland’s ban on tobacco displays in shops has been a success.
The research, published in the journal Tobacco Control, was led by Professor McNeill of Nottingham University and has the support of Cancer Research UK.
Alex has written to both the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to highlight the study. Alex said:
“The Labour Government passed legislation to ban tobaccos displays in shops but the tobacco industry is lobbying this Government in a desperate attempt to ensure the ban is not put in place.
This research confirms that not only does awareness of tobacco drop after removing tobacco displays but attitudes to how common smoking is, how available tobacco is to young people and how possible quitting smoking is also change for the better. Putting tobacco out of sight will help change the attitude to tobacco of young people.
I hope the Government will take this message on board and that the ban on tobacco displays in shops will be put in place. Too many people die needlessly from smoking and anything we can do to discourage young people from taking up this habit must be done.”
