Background and Policy Objectives
3.The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is committed to tackling the high levels of premature death and preventable illness caused by tobacco.  Smoking is responsible for around 2,300 deaths in Northern Ireland each year and is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, strokes and other diseases of the circulatory system.
4.The primary policy objective of the Department which underpins the Tobacco Retailers Act is to prevent young people from taking up smoking by making it more difficult for those under the age of 18 to access tobacco products.  The Act is also intended to assist authorised officers of district councils in carrying out their duties with regards to tobacco control by providing them with a register of tobacco retailers.