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· Business (Tobacco)
· Teen Smoking/Youth
· Tobacco Control
· Business (General)
non-USA, by Country
· UK-Scotland
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Jump to full article: PR Insider (at), 2009-09-23
Author: Press Information: Freedom To Choose (Scotland)
Intro: “Documentation(1) produced by NACMO (The National Association of Cigarette Vending Machine Operators) clearly illustrates how the Scottish Government has been provided with fiction,” states Eddie Douthwaite from pro-choice group Freedom To Choose (Scotland). “The quality of their evidence and decision-making must be put into question.”
Public Health Minister Shona Robison provided the misleading statement(2) to the Health and Sports Committee evidence sessions stating, “For me, the fundamental question is whether tobacco is an appropriate product to sell in a vending machine. We would not sell other age-related dangerous products in vending machines, so why do we sell cigarettes in that way?” . . .
Despite the claims of Shona Robison, other age-restricted products are not banned from vending machines - as NACMO correctly points out, “alcohol, lighters and aspirin are all legally vended through machines across Scotland. These products can pose significant health risks yet the Government is singling out tobacco vending machines.”
In addition to forcing shops to conceal tobacco displays from public view, the Tobacco and Primary Services Medical Bill proposes to ban the use of tobacco vending machines, immediately closing 15 businesses and putting 60 people out of work. NACMO have since invested in a Radio Frequency Control System for their vending machines that would prevent young people accessing tobacco products and avoid the loss of these jobs.
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