Omagh locals answer the question: Should smoking be banned?

THE amount of adults smoking in the North has been dropping significantly over the last 11 years, with rates falling from 24 per-cent to 17 per-cent.

According to figures from the Department of Health, 2,200 people die each year in the North from smoking-related conditions.

To help inform future decision-making on tobacco policy and legislation, the Department has agreed that the North will be included in the public consultation on smoking and vaping launched by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

This eight-week, UK-wide consultation will cover proposals to make it illegal for anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 to ever be sold tobacco products at any point in their lives.

The consultation will also include a series of proposals to clamp down on the sale and use of vapes by children and young people including restrictions on flavours, display, packaging and disposable vapes.

The outcome of this consultation will help inform the decisions of incoming NI Ministers and the Executive, or in the absence of Ministers, those decisions that can be taken under the North.

A recent survey by local charity, NI Chest, Heart and Stroke, found that 21 per-cent, or around one-fifth, of young people have used an e-cigarette at least once.

The survey also highlighted that the number of Year 12s who class themselves as regular e-cigarette users has increased from six per-cent in 2016 to 17 per-cent in 2022.

The Tyrone Herald took to the streets of Omagh on Friday morning to ask local people if they believed it is right for this ban to come into effect and make tobacco smoking a thing of the past?

“A smoking ban for young people is a good thing. We are both ex-smokers. The problem now is disposable vapes. All the kids have them.”

– Liam Taggart and Paula McGayle

“It’s a stupid law, do they not have wiser things to do? People will still smoke no matter what they say. Older people will just buy them for them.”

– Bill Naylor

“It should be a person’s choice whether they want to start smoking or not no-one else. I stated when I was 13 however, and I would always warn people against it.”

– Paul Gilloway

“I believe in freedom of choice so I am not in favour of banning things. But it would be great to see less young people smoking.”

– Karl Donald