Category:
News
Date: 06.09.2004
Printable version
Eighty per cent of respondents
to a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ News poll would support the Government discouraging smoking
by raising the age at which people can buy tobacco, from 16 to 18.
The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Healthy Britain survey questioned more than one thousand
people on a number of smoking issues, including workplace bans and tax
increases.
More than half (55%) of those polled supported raising the legal age
from 16 to 21. Forty-four per cent were opposed to the idea.
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Over three-quarters of 18-24 year olds questioned would support a new
legal age of 18.
Over two-thirds of respondents (67%) support a smoking ban in all workplaces,
including pubs and clubs, versus 32% against the notion.
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Thirty-eight per cent of smokers surveyed supported the idea of a workplace
ban, which, again, included pubs, bars and restaurants. Sixty-two per
cent of smokers would not support a ban.
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Women are more in favour of a public smoking ban than men – 71%,
versus 63%.
The widest support across the survey was for the increase and enforcement
of penalties for the selling of tobacco to children, with 93% backing
the proposal. The idea was supported by over 90% across all groups and
age-groups.
The idea of making smoking more expensive by tax increases was a closer
decision, with 53% supporting an increase, as opposed to 46% who were
against.
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Three-quarters of non-smokers were supportive of increasing tax, versus
15% of smokers, who did not back the idea.
On the point of parental control, 68% felt that parents who consistently
allowed their underage children to smoke should ultimately face prosecution.
Nearly a third (31%) were against this idea.
Notes to Editors
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The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Healthy Britain survey should be credited if any of the
above findings are used.
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The poll was conducted for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ by ICM, who carried out a nationwide
survey by phone of 1,010 adults between 20 and 22 August.
