The United Kingdom Department of Health has employed a good number of anti-smoking strategies to help more people quit the unhealthy habit. A cigarette vending machine ban is the most recent attempt targeted specifically at preventing young people from illegally buying cigarettes.
The idea is that children and teens have unsupervised access to vending machines where they have a greater chance of getting their hands on cigarettes. According to information gathered by Health Minister Edwin Poots, 14 percent of young people who smoke claim their cigarettes came from vending machines. It’s clearly a source of concern when addressing this issue.
The ban, which impacts residents of Ireland, would eliminate the existing 1,800 cigarette vending machines in Northern Ireland from public access. Instead, vending machines would only be available behind the counter for employees to supervise and fill customer orders.
Could this ban spread beyond Ireland? Is it time to start exploring e-cigarette vending machines as a more trending alternative product? Get in touch with us to discuss your options.