Friday 23 September 2011

Tobacco sales go underground in Scotland?

The Herald reports that less than half of tobacco retailers have registered under a compulsory scheme brought in with the tobacco display ban legislation.  The deadline, 1 October, draws ever closer.

The penalty for non-compliance with registration, at £20,000, is a considerable sum. It is unclear how a compulsory registration scheme will protect the nation's youth from unscrupulous sellers.

Perhaps up to half of our tobacconists intend to anticipate the effects of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act (the tobacco display legislation) and hide their tobacco from the beginning of next month.

It's hard to believe sometimes that the authorities don't want to drive the product completely underground.

2 comments:

handymanphil said...

It is because they haven't got the brains they were born with-but should we expect any less?

Anonymous said...

When it comes to Tabacco the one thing that becomes Very clear is that Government after Government have had No idea how to treat it, The massive Tax they put on the product has Created Smuggling, the Smoking Ban has Created massive business closures and Unemployment and still they mentain they are doing the "right" thing. When are they ever going to Learn.

Tug.