Retailers Hit out at Tobacco Licensing Plan

Source from:  news.scotsman.com 12/12/2007

TOBACCO retailers today hit out at calls for a licensing system to stop shopkeepers selling cigarettes to under-18s. They claimed the move - proposed last month by SNP MSP and Holyrood health committee convener Christine Grahame - would place a major burden on small businesses already suffering from too much red tape. The Tobacco Alliance, a coalition of 16,500 independent retailers across the UK, was due to launch a "Responsible Retailers" campaign at an event at the Scottish Parliament tonight. Fiona Barrett, Scottish representative of Responsible Retailers, said: "The campaign is our chance to show the public and politicians that independent shopkeepers in Scotland do uphold the law and are committed to combating underage sales of tobacco." She said the organisation was keen to discuss with MSPs what more could be done to reduce youth access to tobacco. She added: "We applaud Ms Grahame's commitment to youth access prevention, but we want to urge MSPs not to forget about the effect that licences would have on small businesses. "In addition, a licensing scheme will not solve that issue if it cannot be effectively enforced." Enditem