Background and Summary Part 3.Miscellaneous Tobacco
44.The Department of Health’s Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control, (16) published on 31 May 2008, sought views from stakeholders and the public on further action to combat smoking and the negative effects it has on public health. The consultation was expressed as the first step in developing a new national tobacco control strategy and focused on four main areas: reducing smoking rates and health inequalities caused by smoking; protecting children and young people from smoking; supporting smokers to quit; and, helping those who cannot quit.
45.The consultation ran for three months and sought views on possible measures to reduce young people’s access to tobacco and on reducing exposure to tobacco promotion. The consultation received nearly 100,000 responses, details of which can be found in the consultation report published on 8 December 2008(17).
46.The Act includes a series of amendments to the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 (the 2002 Act), the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 (the 1991 Act) and the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (the 1991 (NI) Order) to adopt some of these measures for protecting public health. The amendments make further provision in relation to the display of tobacco products and the sale of such products from vending machines.
47.The provisions inserted into the 2002 Act subject to exclusions, prohibit the display of tobacco products in the course of a business. Powers are also given to the Secretary of State, the Welsh Ministers and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI) to regulate (but not prohibit) the display of prices of tobacco products and (Secretary of State only) the display of tobacco products and their prices in the course of a business on a website where such products are offered for sale. The 1991 Act and the 1991 (NI) Order are also amended to give power to the Secretary of State, the Welsh Ministers, and DHSSPSNI to prohibit the sale of tobacco from vending machines.