Why does the British Heart Foundation support a complete ban on cigarette vending machines?
o in this particular way. This is especially important after the rise in the minimum legal age for tobacco sales from 16 to 18. Before the change in the law, about one in ten young people who smoked said they got cigarettes from vending machines. There is every possibility that this proportion could rise further with the rise in the minimum legal age. Would more restrictions work, rather than a total ban? A full ban is the only fail-safe way of stopping young people buying tobacco from vending machines. The other options just aren’t good enough. Modifying machines so they use only credit cards or tokens could be easily exploited, and staff in premises that are often very busy places can never be totally vigilant in monitoring users of these machines. Adults who want to buy tobacco will still be able to buy it if vending machines are banned. This isn’t about restricting the rights of adults, it’s about reducing illegal access by young people to a dangerous product, and protecting the na
