This covers issues such as:This covers issues such as:
Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.
Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.
Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth and Low Birth Weight.
Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.
The first health warning to be printed on cigarette packets appeared in 1971 and stated: "Warning by H.M. Government. Smoking can damage your health." The size and text of the warnings were determined as part of an agreement between the tobacco industry and the government to control tobacco advertising.
Health warnings on tobacco products continued to be devised under the voluntary agreement system until 1992 when an EU law came into effect. This law required a general warning, "Tobacco seriously damages health" to be printed on the front of the pack and one of six more specific warnings on the back of the pack.
Under the terms of a new European Union law, the area given over to health warnings has been increased to 30% of the front of the pack and 40% of the rear. Smokers 'fail to spot warning signs' Shock images to knock puff out of smokers
As well as requiring new bigger health warnings on tobacco packaging, the EU law puts an upper limit on the amount of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide that cigarettes can contain. This part of the law cane into effect in January 2004.
The tobacco product law requires tobacco companies to provide information to governments about substances that are added to cigarettes. Currently over 600 additives are allowed to be used in cigarettes but the health consequences of using them in tobacco products in not fully understood.
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 bans all forms of tobacco promotion in the UK, although some measures (eg sponsorship of international sports) will not be fully implemented until July 2005. Prior to the passing of the law, tobacco advertising was regulated by a voluntary code of practice agreed between the tobacco industry and the government. The agreement permitted most forms of tobacco advertising except on TV and radio which is covered by separate European Union legislation.
Smoking: Pros and Cons. Should there be further restrictions on the advertising, selling, and smoking of tobacco?
Apart from a few places such as food preparation areas, smoking in public places and workplaces is largely unregulated. However, many places such as shops, cinemas, banks, public transport and transport terminals have their own policies to ban or restrict smoking to certain areas. The vast majority of workplaces now have smoking policies which limit the places where people can smoke. Some ban smoking completely while others have designated smoking rooms. Most other countries in the European Union have laws to ban or restrict smoking in public places.
Ireland gets tough on tobacco Smoking in workplaces and public places Scotland smoking ban Smoke at Work - Protecting Workers From Passive Smoking
It is illegal to sell tobacco products to children under the age of 16 under the terms of the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991, which strengthened an existing law. Shopkeepers who break the law are liable to a fine of up to £2500. Warning notices must be displayed in retail outlets and on vending machines reminding customers that it is illegal to sell cigarettes to children under 16. (Source: http://www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk)
Selling tobacco products