We must vote to put tobacco out of sight

A letter from key health organisations in support of the tobacco control measures in the Health Bill.
Sir, Today the Health Bill goes before the Commons. The Bill contains proposals to put tobacco out of sight in shops and restrict access to cigarette vending machines. These measures are designed to protect children from the devastating influence of tobacco marketing.
We are a group of leading health organisations calling on all members of the House of Commons to vote for putting tobacco out of sight in shops and to go farther through voting to remove vending machines and to support plain packaging for tobacco products.
Smoking remains the single biggest preventable cause of premature death. It kills more people than alcohol, obesity, illegal drugs and road accidents put together. Preventing young people from developing an addiction that kills half of all smokers is vital.
Removing glossy tobacco displays -- designed to attract youngsters -- from sight does not infringe smokers' rights to choose their favourite brand. Ninety per cent of smokers already know which brand of cigarettes they will buy before going into a shop. Research shows that keeping tobacco out of sight helps to reduce teenage smoking. Display bans and other measures have helped to reduce smoking rates in Iceland and Canada.

There is strong evidence -- backed by the World Health Organisation and other leading medical experts -- that these measures will help to stop children smoking. The tobacco industry refutes this. But it is difficult to believe that healthy children are a priority for an industry focused on recruiting a new generation of smokers. Approximately 340,000 under-16s try cigarettes for the first time each year and 80 per cent of smokers start before age 19. We urge Parliament to vote to ensure that health -- not the financial interests of the tobacco industry -- is at the heart of a Health Bill.
Harpal Kumar Chief Executive, Cancer Research UK, Dame Helena Shovelton Chief Executive, British Lung Foundation, Peter Hollins Chief Executive, British Heart Foundation, Dr Hamish Meldrum Chairman of Council, British Medical Association Council, Neil Churchill Chief Executive, Asthma UK

Source: The Times Online, 11 October 2009