PUBS TURN BLIND EYE SAY YOUNG SMOKERS 23rd January 2006, Herald Express,
www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk

Torquay's local newspaper, the Herald Express reports how local teenagers feel buying cigarets in the area is extremely easy. Th story is written in relation to the suggestion that the legal age to buy tobacco should be raised. The story explains how local children do not believe this will have much effect on the age of smokers as currently children as young as 9 are able to get hold of ciggerettes.

The teenagers have told the newspaper about how local children know which pubs let them use cigarette vending machines, and which shops will serve them. It also names a couple of shops which will not sell tobacco to under 16's, but informs the reader of how the teenagers get older people to buy cigarettes for them.
The story is written in the interest of local people. Parents reading the article may become more aware of how easy it could be for their child to start smoking. The story was not very closely edited though as there is a mistake in it. It says that Britain may lower the minimum age you have to be to buy tobacco to be inline with America. In reality the newspaper meant to say the age may be raised inline with America's age restriction of 18.
Overall I feel that the story is not really nessecary it does not name and shame establishments selling tobacco to underage children. Most people are aware that children still find ways to get cigarettes regardless of how old the legal age is. I feel raising the age will have minimal effect on the amount of people smoking. The biggest deterent i feel is banning smoking in public places.