South Ayrshire Council News

South Ayrshire Council Trading Standards this week described the results of their latest round of test purchasing as ‘disappointing and wholly unacceptable’ after 27% of local retailers sold cigarettes illegally to their 15 and 16 year old volunteers.

These checks followed a change in the law in October that raised the legal age at which cigarettes can be purchased from 16 to 18. Following national publicity on the change and the fact that all cigarette sellers were sent new information and display packs, the results suggest the message has not yet hit home in South Ayrshire.

South Ayrshire Councillor Peter Convery, responsible for Trading Standards issues explained, “With the help of local schools our officers recruited willing volunteers to attempt to buy cigarettes all over South Ayrshire. These youngsters, aged 15½, 16 and 16½ years of age were able to buy cigarettes in 7 of the 26 premises visited, a 27% failure rate. This was despite the fact that all the shops visited were displaying the new legally required signs stating that, “It is Illegal to Sell Tobacco Products to Anyone Under the Age of 18.”

He added, “This is particularly disappointing given that the volunteer in 5 of the 7 instances was actually the youngest of the volunteers and should not have been able to buy cigarettes legally even before the change in the law!”

The new age limit increase was brought in as a result of statistics that revealed that the younger people start smoking, the harder it is for them to give up. This leads to adult smokers becoming addicted for most of their life, with crippling effects on their health and a massive burden on the NHS. Statistics have also shown that prior to the change one in five young people aged 15 are regular smokers and 86% of these obtain cigarettes from shops.

A spokesman for Trading Standards continued. “For many years now we have given advice to local retailers on avoiding underage sales on a range of products, including fireworks, and alcohol as well as tobacco. We advise retailers that any young person appearing to be 21 or under attempting to buy restricted products should be asked for proof of age. With the widespread availability of the Young Scot card there is no excuse for getting it wrong and these results are bitterly disappointing. As the change in legal age is very recent it is our intention to give official warnings on this occasion as well as further assistance to tighten up in their controls. However we would like to make it clear that those that broke the law will be tested again in the near future and if another sale is made they will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Local age restricted products retailers can contact Trading Standards officers if they need any further advice at 5-7 River Terrace, Ayr or by phone on 01292 616060 or by e-mail at Trading.Standards@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Note
Support for those already smoking or considering smoking is available from the NHS Ayrshire and Arran Fresh Air-shire Smoking and Prevention and Cessation Service. This service provides a range of awareness and education programmes as well as help for young people who need support to help them quit. For more information on this service contact the free phone advice line: 0800 783 9132.