ID card plan for tobacco sales

SMOKERS face having to produce an ID card before they can buy tobacco under new proposals from MPs looking to cut consumption.

The measure, aimed at preventing the sale of cigarettes to minors, is one listed in a report evaluating policies on reducing tobacco deaths in France.

Tobacco causes 73,000 deaths a year in France and is the leading cause of avoidable death. In 2010 29% of the population between 15 and 75 admitted to being regular smokers, up from 27% in 2005.

In all, the MPs have proposed 15 measures to reduce tobacco consumption, including: tougher moves to stop sales to minors by forcing customers to show an identity card for purchases; a simplification of taxes for all tobacco products to raise prices significantly, and the end to repeated “useless” small price rises with the agreement of tobacco companies.

Others include a complete ban on the super-slim cigarettes favoured by women, the size of warnings to be increased on packets, for blank, advertising-free packets to be used and for cigarettes to be kept out of sight, under the counter.

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Photo: Igor Korionov - Fotolia.com