BMA proposes to ban cigarettes for those born in the 21st century

26^th March 2014

Vanessa Smart

Vanessa Smart

26 March 2014

In a bid to eradicate smoking from Britain doctors have urged the British Medical Association (BMA) to lobby government for a total ban on sale of cigarettes to anyone born after the year 2000.

Dr Tim Crocker-Buqué, a registrar from East London with the NHS, has warned of the severe dangers of smoking.

He said: “Humanity has never developed anything more deadly than the cigarette. The combination of its addictive power and the devastating health effects combined with historical social norms and powerful advertising campaigns killed 100 million people in the 20^th century. The continuing epidemic is predicted to kill hundreds of millions more over the 21^st century.”

The sustainability of this policy to ban cigarettes has been questioned by Ian Kennedy, a public health medicine registrar, who believes that targeting 13 to 14-year-olds is illogical and “picking the year 2000 in particular is a bit nonsensical”.

However, BMA public health medicine committee co-chairman Mark Temple sees reason in the ban.

Supporting the plans, Mark commented: “If we prevent access to a group that is growing older through the time then gradually we will stop easy access to tobacco products.”

Dr Crocker-Buqué added: “I do not want our children smoking and nor should anybody else. If they haven’t already started, then let’s keep them smoke free for life.”

HM Revenue & Customs statistics show that in the year 2012-13 the UK government made £12.3 billion from tobacco – highest figure since 1990. 

                                                                                                                                                               Vanessa Smart