Action Needed To Prevent Smoking Addiction

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 23rd Jan 2003

David Rendel MP intervened at Youth Questions today to raise the need for young people to be better informed about the addictive effects of smoking.

This was the first ever Youth Questions, with Ministers across different Departments fielding questions from MPs on a variety of issues effecting young people.

Commenting, Mr Rendel said:

"One in four young people will become addicted after trying as few as 2 or 3 cigarettes. So it is not good enough to have a general message about not smoking. Young people must be persuaded never to start smoking in the first place.

"Thanks to a Liberal Democrat Bill in Parliament, we have banned tobacco advertising. But the Government must do more so that we can end the appalling situation of 300 people dying each day as a result of smoking."