The BBC reports the beginning of the vending machine in England today. This measure is designed to protect 'under-age children' from the temptations of tobacco, by preventing them from buying a product that contains fewer cigarettes and is more expensive than tobacco from any other source.
There is no need to destroy an industry on the pretext of preventing children from accessing tobacco. Vending machine companies have been developing solutions to age verification problems. If, Michael Matheson then MSP (now Minister for Public Health) claimed when the Bill was passed, there is no evidence proving that kids wouldn't find a way to use a radio-controlled machine activated upon age verification, there is likewise no guarantee that future generations of kids will even give vending machines a thought once they are no longer there. If they want to smoke, they will find a way.
Showing posts with label Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Act 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Act 2010. Show all posts
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Friday, 23 September 2011
Tobacco sales go underground in Scotland?
The Herald reports that less than half of tobacco retailers have registered under a compulsory scheme brought in with the tobacco display ban legislation. The deadline, 1 October, draws ever closer.
The penalty for non-compliance with registration, at £20,000, is a considerable sum. It is unclear how a compulsory registration scheme will protect the nation's youth from unscrupulous sellers.
Perhaps up to half of our tobacconists intend to anticipate the effects of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act (the tobacco display legislation) and hide their tobacco from the beginning of next month.
It's hard to believe sometimes that the authorities don't want to drive the product completely underground.
The penalty for non-compliance with registration, at £20,000, is a considerable sum. It is unclear how a compulsory registration scheme will protect the nation's youth from unscrupulous sellers.
Perhaps up to half of our tobacconists intend to anticipate the effects of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act (the tobacco display legislation) and hide their tobacco from the beginning of next month.
It's hard to believe sometimes that the authorities don't want to drive the product completely underground.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Radio controlled vending machines
The National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators has been hit by bans on its vending machines both by Westminster and Holyrood and the machines are expected to go out of commission in October 2011. This means that in future years youngsters will be unable to obtain 16 tabs for the price of 23, but the powers that be clearly feel that they will be thereby less tempted to buy cigarettes.
NACMO has created a vending machine that works by radio control, following age verification. Once the machine is turned on, it allows only one sale before it turns itself off again and must be reactivated from behind the bar before any further use.
I witnessed the final debate at Holyrood when the Scottish Parliaments passed the display ban and vending machine legislation (to a round of applause!) as part of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill (quite how the display of tobacco was connected with primary medical services was not made clear). A Labour MSP Rhoda Grant proposed an amendment to allow a trial of radio controlled vending machines in Scotland. None of her party supported it, and when the Conservatives pushed it to a vote, she voted against it. Michael Matheson SNP's statement was telling: 'we have no robust evidence to demonstrate that remote-controlled vending machines are a much more secure way of ensuring that young people cannot access cigarettes'.
Even the fact that these machines are standard in many European countries and the premium rates charged on top of the UK's rather atrocious retail prices for tobacco would not convince him that stinging operations on vending machines did not reflect where youngsters actually buy their baccy. If the machines are removed it only means that the most expensive choice of cigarettes will be taken off the market.
As for 'no robust evidence'? How about this quotation taken directly from the Stage 1 report by Mary Scanlon (Conservative):
Isn't that always the answer: any technology that offers a solution that might prevent a ban 'won't work'. Not ventilation. Not radio-controlled vending machines.
The Scottish Government and many of the parliamentarians seem quite myopic on this issue. The present initiative described in the Morning Advertiser is directed at Westminster, and time will only tell whether they will come to the conclusion that there is no need to ban vending machines.
NACMO has created a vending machine that works by radio control, following age verification. Once the machine is turned on, it allows only one sale before it turns itself off again and must be reactivated from behind the bar before any further use.
I witnessed the final debate at Holyrood when the Scottish Parliaments passed the display ban and vending machine legislation (to a round of applause!) as part of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill (quite how the display of tobacco was connected with primary medical services was not made clear). A Labour MSP Rhoda Grant proposed an amendment to allow a trial of radio controlled vending machines in Scotland. None of her party supported it, and when the Conservatives pushed it to a vote, she voted against it. Michael Matheson SNP's statement was telling: 'we have no robust evidence to demonstrate that remote-controlled vending machines are a much more secure way of ensuring that young people cannot access cigarettes'.
Even the fact that these machines are standard in many European countries and the premium rates charged on top of the UK's rather atrocious retail prices for tobacco would not convince him that stinging operations on vending machines did not reflect where youngsters actually buy their baccy. If the machines are removed it only means that the most expensive choice of cigarettes will be taken off the market.
As for 'no robust evidence'? How about this quotation taken directly from the Stage 1 report by Mary Scanlon (Conservative):
The Committee notes that strong views were advanced on both sides of the debate. The Committee also recognises that the evidence base for this proposal is at an early stage and that the international evidence to date is inconclusive.Ms Scanlon points out that there is no evidence base to support the entire Bill (that part relating to tobacco). Yet Mr Matheson quibbles about knowing whether a machine works, even when being asked to consider running a trial. Little difference between this and 'no robust evidence'.
Isn't that always the answer: any technology that offers a solution that might prevent a ban 'won't work'. Not ventilation. Not radio-controlled vending machines.
The Scottish Government and many of the parliamentarians seem quite myopic on this issue. The present initiative described in the Morning Advertiser is directed at Westminster, and time will only tell whether they will come to the conclusion that there is no need to ban vending machines.
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